William N. Campbell
Agency patch
Sergeant

William N. Campbell

Felonious
End of Watch May 30, 1979
Age 41
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 266 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant William Campbell was shot and killed by a subject who had entered his police car and started using the radio in front of the police station. Sergeant Campbell was walking out of the 6th District Police Station on Ruskin Avenue when the prisoner was able to fire a shotgun that was kept in the patrol car. The shot struck Sergeant Campbell in the chest, killing him. The man was shot and killed by other officers when he attempted to escape. Sergeant Campbell had been with the agency for 12 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Campbell gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Campbell.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 30, 1979
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1979, 136 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 31st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 41. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. William had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's shotgun, in 0.1% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant William N. Campbell

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch May 30, 1979

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 14-E

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