Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

Albert L. Painter

Cherryville Police Department — Cherryville, NC

Felonious

End of Watch January 16, 1926

Age 52

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 50 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief of Police Albert Painter succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained two days earlier while attempting to arrest a drunk man who was firing his gun in town. The suspect shot through a store window and fatally wounded Chief Painter as Chief Painter was crossing in front of the window to enter the store and arrest him for drunken and disorderly conduct. The suspect was arrested following the shooting and sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison. Chief Painter had served in law enforcement for at least eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-5B5BA2AC
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief of Police Painter gave the Cherryville Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cherryville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Painter.

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

Agency

Department Cherryville Police Department

Location Cherryville, NC

Platform Identity cpd.gaston.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 16, 1926

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Chief of Police Albert L. Painter is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Cherryville Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Albert L. Painter's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Albert L. Painter Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 20 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Albert L. Painter is highlighted in Jan.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Albert L. Painter was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518