William E. Wagner
Agency patch
Patrolman

William E. Wagner

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch November 5, 1925
Age 24
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
Badge 1825
The Vigil Panel 50 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Wagner was shot and killed near midnight when he and his partner stopped to question four suspicious men standing next to a grocery store door. One of the men began to run from the scene and was chased by Officer Wagner. The man ducked into a storefront, produced a handgun, and shot Officer Wagner in the heart and left hand. Although mortally wounded, Patrolman Wagner got back up and chased the man into a nearby alley and returned fire before collapsing again. The suspects were arrested and charged with murder two days later. Patrolman Wagner's 26-year-old killer was ultimately sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 1951.

Survivors

Patrolman Wagner had served with the Detroit Police Department for 14 months and was survived by his parents and seven siblings.

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.
Patrolman Wagner gave the Detroit Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Wagner.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 5, 1925
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
Age 24
Badge Number 1825
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

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 1925, 208 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 24. 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 1.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman William E. Wagner

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch November 5, 1925

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 36-E

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