Death Classification: Line of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 5 months, 27 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 7, 11th Precinct - Grand Crossing

District of Incident (Present Day): 006 - Gresham

Cause of Death: Gunfire - Accidental

Age at Time of Death: 41

Timeline


Date of Birth: 14 Aug 1848

Date of Appointment: 15 Nov 1889

Date of Incident: 006 - Gresham

End of Watch: 12 May 1890

Date of Interment:

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Oak Woods Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
 Grave Location: Unknown
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 6

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Probationary Patrolman William Friedrich Carl Ellfeldt, Star # Unknown, aged 41 years, was a 5 month, 27 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 7, 11th Precinct – Grand Crossing.

On May 9, 1890, Officer William Ellfeldt was on duty in the patrol barn located in the 11th Precinct station at 7533 South Dobson Avenue when a pistol fell from his sergeant’s coat pocket. The pistol discharged upon hitting the floor and the round struck Officer Ellfeldt in the abdomen. While under his physicians care at his Grand Crossing home he succumbed to his injuries four days later on May 12, 1890.

The incident was ruled an accident and the sergeant was exonerated from all blame.

Officer Ellfeldt was laid to rest in Oak Woods Cemetery, 1035 East 67th Street, Chicago, Illinois.

Probationary Patrolman William Friedrich Carl Ellfeldt, born August 14, 1848, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on November 15, 1889.

Officer Ellfeldt was survived by his wife, Johanna (nee Helbrig) and son, John Carl.

Chicago Police Historical Homicide Database case not found for this incident.