William Blazier
Agency patch
Detective

William Blazier

Felonious
End of Watch September 3, 1922
Age 39
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 43 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Indiana Incident Date: Saturday, September 2, 1922 Weapon: Edged weapon; Knife Offender: Not available

Detective William Blazier was stabbed and then thrown from a moving passenger train in Farmland, Indiana while attempting to arrest several men who were trespassing.

He had boarded westbound passenger train No. 43 at Ansonia, Ohio, and discovered five men aboard the train and ordered them to leave. Three of them obeyed his orders, but the remaining two reboarded the train and then hid in the tender car. He was attacked and disarmed when he discovered them in the tender. He was stabbed, robbed of his pistol, and then thrown from the train at the Plum Street crossing.

He was found unconscious by a resident approximately one hour later. He was taken to a hospital in Muncie, where he died the following day.

Detective Blazier served with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad Police Department for two years. was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-BEEAB38C
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Blazier gave the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Blazier.

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

Agency

Location Cleveland, OH
Platform Identity cccslrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 3, 1922
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Stabbed
Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Detective William Blazier 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department
3
of 5 officers
60% Felonious
OH — Statewide
572
of 991 officers
57.7% 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. William Blazier'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 William Blazier Compares

Age at End of Watch
39
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Blazier is highlighted in Sep.

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. William Blazier was killed by edged weapon; knife.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location