Officer Daniel O’Connell was shot and killed while investigating a burglary while off duty at 0230 hours. He had been informed by a woman that two suspicious men were near a home on Dayton Avenue. Officer O’Connell was shot with a .32 caliber handgun while investigating the men. His body was found at approximately 0800 hours.

On October 23, 1883 two suspects were pardoned from Chester Illinios State Prison in order that they could be taken back to Minnesota to stand trial for the murder of Officer O’Connell. They had been developed as suspects by St. Paul Police Department detective John Bresset through one of his informants . The mayor of St. Paul and the Ramsey County Attorney got the Governor of Illinois to pardon them from prior burglary convictions in Illinois in order for them to be brought back to St Paul. On Oct 24, 1883 both men plead guilty to the murder of Officer O’Connell and were sentenced to life in Stillwater Prison.

Officer O’Connell had served with the agency for nearly one month. He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.