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Mounted Policeman

Robert H. Goodson

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA
Accident
United States flag Georgia flag
End of Watch May 26, 1891
Age 43
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 29 · Column 3 · Line 9 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 87

Incident

Mounted Officer Robert H. Goodson was accidentally shot and killed as he conversed with fellow officers outside of the police stables, on Pryor Street, fifteen minutes before shift change. Another officer, who was seated in an alley across the street, was attempting to clean a 38-caliber Smith and Wesson pistol he had recently purchased at an auction. The gun was rusty, and, as the officer attempted to force the hammer back, the gun slipped from his hands and discharged. The shot hit the stone in the alley and ricocheted up.

Just seconds before the gun fired, Officer Goodson had been preparing to cross the street to go to the station when a fellow officer called him back. As Officer Goodson turned to respond to the officer and lifted his arm to lean against the awning post, the misfired bullet struck in his exposed ribs, severing an artery. Officer Goodson stayed conscious long enough to ask his fellow officers to care for his wife and children. He succumbed to his injuries four hours later.

Officer Goodson had served as an Atlanta police officer for over 10 years and had been on the mounted squad for the last four years of his career.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three children, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

135 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Mounted Policeman Goodson gave the Atlanta Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Atlanta Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Atlanta, Fulton County, GA
Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 26, 1891
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Robert is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1891, 11 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 136th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 43. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Robert had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Atlanta Police Department has 88 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Mounted Policeman Robert H. Goodson

Atlanta Police Department · End of Watch May 26, 1891

Where the Name Is Cut

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