Robert Courtland Wash

Norfolk Police Dept. — Norfolk, VA

Felonious

End of Watch May 16, 1961

Age 49

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

The Vigil Panel 96 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 38

Incident

Detective Robert Wash was shot and killed by a man he suspected might be about to commit a burglary in the 100 block of E 39th Street. He and his partner stopped to check out the suspicious man standing by a number of phones at a drug store. The subject started to run and Detective Wash's partner tried to apprehend him. The man pulled out a gun and shot the officer as Detective Wash grabbed him and threw him toward the drug store wall. The man dropped to the ground and fired two shots at Detective Wash, fatally wounding him. His partner was wounded but was able to hold the subject in a leg lock until other officers arrived. The man was found to have burglary tools on him and was getting ready to break into the drug store. The officers were shot with a stolen Smith and Weston five-shot .32-caliber handgun. The man was convicted of murder and executed in November 1961. Detective Wash had served with the Norfolk Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-530887C1
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 Wash gave the Norfolk Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Norfolk community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Wash.

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

Agency

Department Norfolk Police Dept.

Location Norfolk, VA

Platform Identity npd.norfolk.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 16, 1961

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Offender Executed in 1961

Detective Robert Courtland Wash 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 VA, 395 of 654 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Norfolk Police Dept., 20 of 39 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.3% of this agency's fallen.

Norfolk Police Dept.

of 39 officers

51.3% Felonious

VA — Statewide

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious