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Deputy Sheriff

Walter Gaik

Ashland County Sheriff's Office — Ashland, WI

Felonious

End of Watch December 7, 1970

Age 58

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Deputy Gaik was shot and killed in an ambush attack as he was driving his patrol car while he was on patrol near Odanah. Other deputies found him in his patrol car near US 2. He had been killed by a shotgun blast through the windshield at close range. A month later a 15 year old boy was arrested and charged with Deputy Gaik's murder. The suspect was found delinquent in connection with Deputy Gaik's murder and sentenced to the boy's reformatory school in Irma in July of 1971.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-9DB7A008
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.
Deputy Sheriff Gaik served with the Ashland County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Ashland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Gaik.

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

Agency

Department Ashland County Sheriff's Office

Location Ashland, WI

Platform Identity acso.ashland.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1970

Age 58

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Offender committed to reformatory school

Deputy Sheriff Walter Gaik 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Ashland County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% 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. Walter Gaik'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 Walter Gaik Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

committed to reformatory school

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Gaik is highlighted in Dec.

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. Walter Gaik was killed by shotgun; 12 gauge.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518