Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin
End of Watch: Thursday, October 25, 1990
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 16 years, 10 months
Badge Number: 2187
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: October 25, 1990
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Richard Wagner suffered a fatal heart attack while involved in a foot pursuit of a suspected car thief. He collapsed while chasing the suspect, who had abandoned the vehicle, through a Northside neighborhood. The suspect evaded capture. Officer Wagner collapsed upon returning to his patrol car and was rushed to the hospital.
Officer Wagner had served with the agency for nearly 17 years. He was to receive a meritorious duty citation on Nov. 18, 1990 for pulling a wounded officer from the line of fire during a shootout the previous May. He was awarded the citation posthumously.
Officer Wagner was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.