Incident
Officer Ollinger was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an escaped convict. The suspect and another man had approached Officer Ollinger, not knowing he was a police officer, and asked him to assist them in robbing a bank. Officer Ollinger reported the request to his supervisor and after Officer Ollinger learned the suspect was a convicted decided to try to arrest him. He followed the man to a drugstore at 25th and Central Avenue and attempted to arrest him. During the ensuing struggle both Officer Ollinger and the suspect were shot and killed.
Survivors
Officer Ollinger had been with the agency for ten years and was survived by his wife and 14-year-old son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtpn8758ggvy33n11n10s- 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 Joseph. 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 Ollinger gave the Minneapolis Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Minneapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Ollinger.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Minneapolis Police Department has lost 50 officers; 32 of them killed feloniously.
Joseph is one of 173 officers killed feloniously in MN, 59% of the 293 remembered there.
Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Joseph 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 1911, 1 officer at Minneapolis Police Department was killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 28 years on record. The heaviest was 1919, with 2.
In 1911, 4 officers in MN were killed feloniously, the 4th heaviest of 93 years on record. The heaviest was 1922, with 11.
In 1911, 149 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 27th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1911, 150 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 33rd heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Joseph was 52. Of the 32 killed feloniously at Minneapolis Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 36 and 50; the middle age was 40.5. Joseph had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 8.5 years.
Joseph was 52. Of the 166 killed feloniously in MN whose age is recorded, half were between 33 and 49; the middle age was 41. Joseph had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 8 years.
Joseph was 52. 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. Joseph had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Joseph was 52. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Joseph had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
July holds 9.4% of these deaths at Minneapolis Police Department; August holds the most, 21.9%. Saturdays: 15.6%.
July holds 13.9% of these deaths in MN; August holds the most, 16.8%. Saturdays: 18.5%.
July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
July holds 9% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 64% of all 50 deaths at Minneapolis Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 25% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 59% of all 293 deaths in MN, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 24.9% 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 20.9% of these deaths.
His people
Minneapolis Police Department has 50 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.
-
Robert Laughlin Jul 28, 1884
-
Charles C. Channels May 27, 1906
-
Joseph Ollinger
Jul 15, 1911
-
William Joseph Lydon
Nov 25, 1913
-
George B. Anderson
Nov 28, 1913
-
Otto G. Ostby
May 19, 1915
-
Nels C. Anderson
May 31, 1916
-
George Connery
Apr 24, 1917
-
James A. Weare
Feb 7, 1919
-
George Woessner
Jun 24, 1919
-
John Francis Young
Jul 13, 1919
-
Frank S. Hallett
Aug 25, 1920
-
Emil Engstrom
Aug 15, 1923
-
Michael J. Lawrence
Dec 30, 1925
-
Albert Anderson
Feb 2, 1928
-
Clayton J. Seawell
May 4, 1929
-
Harry E. Parker
Dec 24, 1930
-
Harry McGraw
Feb 1, 1931
-
Clayton Olson
Aug 9, 1931
-
Harold Hagen
Aug 3, 1932
-
Ira Leon Evans
Dec 16, 1932
-
Leo R. Gorski
Dec 18, 1932
-
John W. Thomas Aug 5, 1933
-
Peter Erath May 26, 1934
-
Ben J. Lehman
May 3, 1936
-
Georgianna Sharrot
Jun 14, 1937
-
James H. Trepanier
Sep 20, 1938
-
John B. Gearty
Jul 10, 1939
-
Adolpf G. Karpinsky
May 22, 1941
-
Harold O. Olson
Aug 9, 1941
-
John W. O'Neil
Jun 7, 1944
-
Donald T. McHale
Mar 25, 1951
-
Robert H. Fossum
Aug 17, 1957
-
Leo M. Bessner
May 12, 1958
-
William F. Herkal
May 11, 1959
-
Andrew Ferman Sharp
Aug 17, 1963
-
James E. Hendricks
Dec 15, 1963
-
Lloyd Ellsworth Reed
Aug 6, 1965
-
Richard L. Bergquist
Apr 7, 1969
-
Joseph G. Pudlick
Feb 4, 1972
-
Inno H. Suek
Sep 30, 1972
-
George Anthony Partridge Jr.
May 26, 1976
-
Richard Paul Miller, Sr.
Aug 25, 1981
-
David Ward Mack
Nov 2, 1986
-
Jerome Victor Haaf
Sep 25, 1992
-
Paul K. Moen
Jul 1, 1995
-
Ward Lee Canfield
Mar 2, 2000
-
Melissa Jayne Schmidt
Aug 1, 2002
-
David Richard Loeffler
May 29, 2009
-
Jamal Mitchell
May 30, 2024
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 46-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
49 officers from Minneapolis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















