James L. Wells

Seattle Police Department — Seattle, WA

Felonious

End of Watch November 28, 1897

Age 38

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 59

Incident

Detective James Wells was shot and killed by a suspect he was transporting in a horse-drawn wagon to police headquarters. When they arrived at headquarters the prisoner produced a handgun and shot Detective Wells. Detective Wells was able to return fire, striking the suspect as he fled. The man was arrested was captured a short time later. The subject was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. On July 26, 1908, he shot and killed a man in Ferry County. On May 28, 1909, he was apprehended in Quesne, British Columbia, after a chase through Victoria. He was returned to Washington, convicted of second-degree murder, and sent back to prison. Detective Wells had served with the Seattle Police Department for five years and had previously served with the King County Sheriff's Department for two years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-7554EDF6
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

129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Detective Wells gave the Seattle Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Seattle community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Seattle Police Department

Location Seattle, WA

Platform Identity seatpd.king.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 28, 1897

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to 12 years

Detective James L. Wells 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 WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Seattle Police Department, 44 of 60 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.3% of this agency's fallen.

Seattle Police Department

of 60 officers

73.3% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 339 officers

55.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious