Prev Next
William Whitfield
Agency patch
Officer

William Whitfield

Indianapolis Police Department — Indianapolis, IN
Felonious
United States flag Indiana flag
End of Watch November 27, 1922
Age 37
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Badge 276
The Vigil Panel 104 · Column 3 · Line 16 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 58

Incident

Officer William Whitfield succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered five months earlier while chasing a suspect. Officer Whitfield was in plain clothes on foot patrol when he entered an alley just west of 3500 North Collage Avenue and noticed a roughly-dressed man. He asked the man what he was doing there, and the man suddenly turned and ran, with Officer Whitfield in pursuit. During the chase, the man suddenly turned and fired several shots from a revolver, striking Officer Whitfield once in the abdomen. He was able to stumble back to the street, where he collapsed. Passers-by took him to a hospital where he lingered for five months before succumbing to his injuries. The suspect was never captured. Officer Whitfield had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for 12 years. He was survived by his two sisters. As he was initially buried in an unmarked grave, on November 30, 1998, he was given a full-honors funeral after members of the department contributed to the purchase of a headstone for his grave site. Officer Whitfield is the first known African-American law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the state of Indiana and the first of three unsolved police murders in Indianapolis.

Survivors

He was survived by his two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnf5wf386v9j817c97py
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 William. 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.
Officer Whitfield gave the Indianapolis Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Indianapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Whitfield.

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

Agency

Department Indianapolis Police Department
Type Other
Location Indianapolis, Marion County, IN
Platform Identity ipd.marion.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 27, 1922
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 37
Badge Number 276
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 228 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 3rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 37. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. William had served 12 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%. 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Indianapolis Police Department has 59 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer William Whitfield

Indianapolis Police Department · End of Watch November 27, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 63-W

↑