Retired St. Paul police officer dies 15 years after she was assaulted and seriously injured

Retired St. Paul police officer Felicia Reilly, who suffered long-lasting injuries after being assaulted while on duty, died on Saturday.

Reilly, 67, is the first female St. Paul police officer to die from injuries received in the line of duty, according to the Saint Paul Police Retirement Association. In a statement, the association said Reilly died from a traumatic brain injury she sustained while on the job.

“Those who knew Felicia remember her as compassionate, devoted and an inspiration to many,” officials with the St. Paul Police Department wrote in a statement. “Felicia was a hero and she will be profoundly missed.”

Reilly served as an officer with the St. Paul Police Department from 1996 until she retired in 2013.

In March of 2010, she went to the home of Thomas Swenson after a 911 hang-up call. At the residence, Swenson’s mother said he had threatened others and had been drinking after he stopped taking medication for bipolar disorder.

Police said Swenson ignored Reilly’s orders, then punched her and kicked her in the back of the head several times. She was left with serious injuries, including near-constant migraines and double vision.

A jury found Swenson guilty of first-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and obstructing the legal process. He was sentenced in 2013 to 8½ years in prison.

The Saint Paul Police Retirement Association said Reilly’s husband, retired St. Louis Park officer Matt Reilly, was at her side when she died on Saturday.

The association said funeral arrangements had not yet been made.