Patrolman Clayton Olson

End of Watch : August 9, 1931

OFFICER CLAYTON OLSON
Minneapolis PD
Died August 9, 1931

On Sunday morning, August 9th, 1931, a man reported to Officer Clayton Olson that he had seen a suspicious man outside the hamburger shop at 2728 E. Lake Street wearing a handkerchief over half his face. The man believed there was going to be a robbery. As Olson crossed the street, the suspect also crossed the street at Lake Street and 28th Avenue South and then went into the alley between 28th and 29th Avenue. Four shots were heard from the alley, then three more. Two patrons from the hamburger shop went into the alley where they saw Olson staggering, his gun still in his hand. He had been hit six times-four times in one leg, once in the other leg, and once in the abdomen. One of the men, Robert Wyatt, asked Olson for his gun and Olson gave it to him. Wyatt then ran to look for the suspect, but could not find him so he returned to Olson and rendered first aid. Olson collapsed and died in the arms of a bystander.

Other officers were called to the scene. Two witnesses told Officer A.J. DesLauriers that they could identify the suspect, so he let one drive the squad and got his shotgun out as they searched the neighborhood. An hour later, two newsboys reported they were being followed by a man at 43rd Avenue and 29th Street. DesLauriers arrived and checked the area. He saw a man come down the street and one of the boys identified him as the one who was following them. DesLauriers turned into an alley and when the suspect saw the squad car, he pulled out a 45-caliber handgun. DesLauriers then ran up to the suspect as he was raising his gun to shoot and shot the suspect twice with a sawed off shotgun.

The suspect was identified as Magnus Opdahl, 25, a sign painter from 1430 Jefferson Avenue in St. Paul. He died Sunday at noon at General Hospital. He apologized for the shooting before he died. He had held up two men the week before and had previously been acquitted of murdering his uncle in Austin in March.

Officer Olson was 36 years old and had a wife and 4-year-old daughter. He had been with the department for 5 years, since December 4th, 1925. His funeral was held Tuesday at the Crystal Lake Chapel and he was buried in the Crystal Lake Cemetery.

Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember"
With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director
MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association
L.E.M.A. 2009

Harry McGraw

Gus H Jorgenson