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Police Officer

Lawrence Boyd Leis

Beaver Borough Police Department — Beaver, PA

Felonious

End of Watch January 1, 1935

Age 31

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 69 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Police Officer Leis was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for being drunk and for threatening to shoot his children in 200 block of Taylor Avenue, When Officer Leis confronted the man near his home the man opened fire with a rifle, striking the officer. Despite being mortally wounded, Officer Leis returned fire, but did not strike the suspect. The man committed suicide a short time later. Officer Leis had served with the Beaver Police Department for one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-C9574EF3
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Police Officer Leis gave the Beaver Borough Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Beaver community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Leis.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Beaver Borough Police Department

Location Beaver, PA

Platform Identity bbpd.beaver.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 1, 1935

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; .22 caliber

Offender Committed suicide

Police Officer Lawrence Boyd Leis is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Beaver Borough Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lawrence Boyd Leis's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Lawrence Boyd Leis Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Committed suicide

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lawrence Boyd Leis is highlighted in Jan.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lawrence Boyd Leis was killed by rifle; .22 caliber.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518