Ronnie W. Hassell
Agency patch
Officer

Ronnie W. Hassell

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
End of Watch December 2, 1972
Age 20
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 2615
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Ronnie Hassell was killed when his motor scooter was struck by a hit-and-run driver at 29th and M Street, NW. He received major head injuries when his helmet was knocked off of his head. The suspect was arrested the following day at his home in Arlington, Virginia. Officer Hassell had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

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

You barely got started.
Officer Hassell gave the Metropolitan Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Hassell.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 2, 1972
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 20
Badge Number 2615
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ronnie 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1972, 142 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 28th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ronnie was 20. 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. Ronnie had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Ronnie among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Ronnie W. Hassell

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch December 2, 1972

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 21-W

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