Police Officer

Daniel O'Connell

Saint Paul Police Department — Saint Paul, MN
Felonious
End of Watch June 17, 1882
Age 33
Tour of Duty 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 7 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Daniel O'Connell was shot and killed while investigating a burglary while off duty at 0230 hours. He had been informed by a woman that two suspicious men were near a home on Dayton Avenue. Officer O'Connell was shot with a .32 caliber handgun while investigating the men. His body was found at approximately 0800 hours. On October 23, 1883 two suspects were pardoned from Chester Illinios State Prison in order that they could be taken back to Minnesota to stand trial for the murder of Officer O'Connell. They had been developed as suspects by St. Paul Police Department detective John Bresset through one of his informants . The mayor of St. Paul and the Ramsey County Attorney got the Governor of Illinois to pardon them from prior burglary convictions in Illinois in order for them to be brought back to St Paul. On Oct 24, 1883 both men plead guilty to the murder of Officer O'Connell and were sentenced to life in Stillwater Prison. Officer O'Connell had served with the agency for nearly one month.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

144 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer O'Connell served with the Saint Paul Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Saint Paul community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Saint Paul, Ramsey County, MN
Platform Identity sainpd.ramsey.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1882
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Daniel 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 1882, 45 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 143rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Daniel was 33. 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. Daniel had served 0.1 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%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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

Saint Paul Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, Daniel among them.

Police Officer Daniel O'Connell

Saint Paul Police Department · End of Watch June 17, 1882

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-W

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