In Memoriam: Honoring Deputy Ernest Zettergren, Killed in the Line of Duty on December 7, 1953

Anoka County, MN - Seventy-two years ago this week, Deputy Sheriff Ernest A. Zettergren lost his life in the line of duty after interrupting a burglary at a tavern in Fridley. His death on December 7, 1953, remains one of the most solemn chapters in Anoka County law enforcement history and a defining reminder of the dangers faced by patrol officers during an era when backup was often minutes , or miles, away.

Deputy Zettergren, 43, had served several years in policing, including five years with the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and earlier service with the Columbia Heights Police Department. On the morning he was killed, he was patrolling alone when he noticed a broken window at a tavern located at 6003 University Avenue NE.

A Fatal Encounter at Dawn

At approximately 3:59 a.m., Deputy Zettergren pulled behind a parked vehicle in front of the business. Sensing immediate danger, he radioed in the car’s license plate number, an act that would prove critical in solving the case.

Moments later, a 35-year-old ex-convict, known to law enforcement and with a lengthy criminal record, emerged from the tavern. Without warning, he approached the deputy’s squad car and shot Deputy Zettergren twice at close range. The gunman fled into the pre-dawn darkness, stealing the deputy’s service weapon and clipboard.

Despite the suddenness of the attack, the deputy’s quick report of the license plate launched a rapid, multijurisdictional investigation. Authorities arrested the suspect later that morning. He soon confessed to the murder.

Swift Conviction, Tragic Aftermath

Court records and contemporaneous reporting show that the man was convicted of second-degree murder just one week later and sentenced to life at the Minnesota State Prison in Stillwater.

Less than two months into his sentence, on January 31, 1954, the convicted killer died by suicide, hanging himself in his cell.

A Family and a Community Forever Changed

Deputy Zettergren was survived by his wife and six children, who became part of a long lineage of families in Minnesota carrying the weight of sacrifice made by a loved one in uniform. His death is memorialized on the Anoka County Law Enforcement Memorial as well as national records documenting officers killed in the line of duty.

Colleagues and historians note that his killing prompted renewed attention to officer safety, overnight patrol procedures, and communication protocols within Anoka County, issues that, in the 1950s, were only beginning to receive focused policy consideration.

A Legacy of Quiet Bravery

Each year, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office marks December 7 as a day of remembrance. In a statement this week, the office reflected on Deputy Zettergren’s service:

“He acted with vigilance, professionalism, and a sense of duty that continues to define our values today. We honor his memory, his sacrifice, and the family he left behind.”

Seven decades later, Deputy Ernest Zettergren’s story stands as a testament to the quiet, everyday courage of local law enforcement, the kind of courage that often goes unseen, but never forgotten.

MinneapoliMedia