Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Arnold Strickland and Corporal Crump were shot and killed at 5:30 am when a suspect grabbed the service weapon of one of the officers and opened fire.
The officers were booking the suspect at the police department for operating a stolen vehicle when the incident occurred. Besides killing both officers, the suspect also shot and killed Dispatcher Leslie "Ace" Mealer, who was in the dispatcher's office at the time. The suspect then stole a patrol car and fled the scene. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, Mississippi, apprehended the subject three hours later. The suspect was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced to death on October 6, 2005.
The Fayette Police Department is a 14-person law enforcement agency.
Officer Strickland had 26 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the Fayette Police Department for three years.
Survivors
He is survived by his three sons, two granddaughters, and three brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-A9DB1C3C- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
26 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Strickland gave the Fayette Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Fayette community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Strickland.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Arnold Gunther Strickland 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Fayette Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arnold Gunther Strickland's cause is highlighted.
How Arnold Gunther Strickland Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Arnold Gunther Strickland is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Arnold Gunther Strickland was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Fayette Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
