Night Captain

William C. Rooney

Colorado Department of Corrections — Colorado Springs, CO
Felonious
End of Watch January 22, 1900
Age 30
The Vigil Panel 16 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Captain William Rooney was killed when he was stabbed in the heart during a prison escape of four inmates at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City. Two of the suspects were apprehended three days later and the third was apprehended one day after that. When the third man, Captain Rooney's killer, was being returned to prison an angry mob of citizens took control of him and hanged him from a telephone pole. The fourth suspect remains at large. Captain Rooney was survived by his wife. It is believed he is buried in Cortez, Colorado.

Survivors

Captain Rooney was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Night Captain Rooney served with the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Colorado. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Captain Rooney.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Colorado Springs, El Paso County, CO
Platform Identity cdcorr.elpaso.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 22, 1900
Age 30
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

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 1900, 86 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 74th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 30. 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.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Colorado Department of Corrections has 18 officers remembered here, William among them.

VI

Where

Night Captain William C. Rooney

Colorado Department of Corrections · End of Watch January 22, 1900

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-W

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