Prev
Incident
Reserve Officer Louis Wells was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for carrying a concealed weapon. Officer Wells had stopped the man on North Main Street, a half-mile north of the bridge over the Kansas City Southern Railroad tracks. The man was apprehended, convicted of second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On November 22nd, 1916, he escaped from the penitentiary. On May 27th, 1917, he was shot and killed in a gunfight with police in Greenville, Mississippi.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnew555rnvh37h13v9p9- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Louis. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Reserve Officer Wells served with the Joplin Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Joplin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Officer Wells.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Joplin Police Department has lost 21 officers; 17 of them killed feloniously.
Louis is one of 527 officers killed feloniously in MO, 63.6% of the 829 remembered there.
Louis is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Louis is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1916, 1 officer at Joplin Police Department was killed feloniously, the 4th heaviest of 14 years on record. The heaviest was 1901, with 2.
In 1916, 9 officers in MO were killed feloniously, the 7th heaviest of 146 years on record. The heaviest was 1920, with 16.
In 1916, 155 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 24th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1916, 175 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 23rd heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Louis was 32. Of the 13 killed feloniously at Joplin Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 46; the middle age was 42.
Louis was 32. Of the 477 killed feloniously in MO whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 48; the middle age was 39.
Louis was 32. 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.
Louis was 32. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
When
June holds 17.6% of these deaths at Joplin Police Department; December holds the most, 23.5%. Saturdays: 17.6%.
June holds 8.7% of these deaths in MO; December holds the most, 11%. Saturdays: 16.5%.
June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
June holds 8.2% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 81% of all 21 deaths at Joplin Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 64.7% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 63.6% of all 829 deaths in MO, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 38% of these deaths.
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.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 20.4% of these deaths.
His people
Joplin Police Department has 21 officers remembered here, Louis among them.
-
Daniel Sheehan
Jul 19, 1885
-
James Sweeney
Apr 23, 1901
-
Bert Brannon
Apr 24, 1901
-
Theodore C. Leslie
Apr 14, 1903
-
John Ledbetter
Jun 10, 1903
-
Claude Brice
Dec 31, 1904
-
William Smith
Nov 15, 1909
-
Louis S. Wells Jun 3, 1916
-
William Wolsey
Dec 8, 1917
-
Jessie Laster
Aug 23, 1926
-
Alex Brown
Dec 18, 1928
-
Alexander C. Lachman
Jun 26, 1931
-
Harry L. McGinnis
Apr 13, 1933
-
Kendrick Lloyd
Apr 17, 1948
-
Raymond Endicott
Oct 8, 1949
-
Robert M. Clifton
Dec 5, 1967
-
Paul Wesley Harlan
Dec 6, 1979
-
Richard W. O. Gammill
Sep 7, 1989
-
Timothy Andrew Nielson
Sep 13, 2004
-
Benjamin Lee Cooper
Mar 8, 2022
-
Jake Alexander Reed
Mar 9, 2022
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 59-W
Others Who Wore This Badge
20 officers from Joplin Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
