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William M. McCormack
Agency patch
Police Officer

William M. McCormack

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO
Felonious
United States flag Missouri flag
End of Watch June 25, 1929
Age 62
Tour of Duty 35 yrs
The Vigil Panel 57 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 175

Incident

Police Officer William McCormack was shot and killed while assigned to a cigar store that had recently been robbed at 3908 South Broadway. Officer McCormack was in a back room of the store when two robbers entered. One of the robbers took the clerk from the counter as the second went behind the counter and started to remove money from the register. As he did so he spotted Officer McCormack and opened fire, striking him in the neck. Officer McCormack never saw or heard the suspects enter the store and was unaware the robbery was taking place. Four men were implicated in the murder of Officer McCormack. Three were apprehended and sentenced to life for murder. The actual killer was found to be in the Idaho Penitentiary almost two years later. He was returned to Missouri, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. One of the others was paroled on January 31, 1936, and another on December 29, 1936.

Survivors

Officer McCormack had been with the agency for 3 years and was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

35 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer McCormack gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 35 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer McCormack.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch June 25, 1929
Tour of Duty 35 yrs
Age 62
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1929, 205 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 12th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 62. 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 35 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 gun, in 22.8% 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

Police Officer William M. McCormack

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch June 25, 1929

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 25-W

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