Alford M. Blair
Agency patch
Detective

Alford M. Blair

Greenville Police Department — Greenville, SC
Felonious
End of Watch October 5, 1919
Age 41
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 38 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Alford Blair and Detective Joe Kitchen were shot and killed while conducting a raid on a gambling house in the Bucknertown section of the city. During the raid, one of the gamblers shot and killed Detective Kitchen and then fled. While Detective Blair gave chase, the man turned and fired, fatally wounding Detective Blair. The suspect escaped to Virginia, where he shot and killed Lynchburg, Virginia, Detective Arthur Mann and wounded another officer on March 27th, 1920. The suspect was eventually captured in Ohio, returned to Virginia, and executed for Detective Mann's murder. Detective Blair had served with the Greenville Police Department for ten years and had previously served as a state constable in Columbia.

Survivors

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

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-3615C6EE
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Blair gave the Greenville Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greenville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Blair.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Greenville, Greenville County, SC
Platform Identity greenvillepd.greenville.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 5, 1919
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Detective Alford M. Blair is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Greenville Police Department, 11 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 91.7% of this agency's fallen.

Greenville Police Department
11
of 12 officers
91.7% Felonious
SC — Statewide
272
of 441 officers
61.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Alford M. Blair's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Alford M. Blair Compares

Age at Death
41
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
10
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Alford M. Blair is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Alford M. Blair was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909