Bruce Kenneth Smalls

South Carolina Highway Patrol — Blythewood, SC

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 27, 1985

Age 30

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 130 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 51

Incident

Trooper First Class Smalls was shot and killed during a traffic stop of a reckless driver on I-95 in Jasper County. Unbeknownst to Trooper Smalls, the RV was being driven by a suspect and an accomplice who had just murdered the owner of the vehicle. The shooter was convicted of Trooper Smalls' murder and was executed on May 3, 2002. Trooper First Class Smalls was a United States Army Veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for nine years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-46C77354
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Bruce is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper First Class Smalls gave the South Carolina Highway Patrol 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of South Carolina, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department South Carolina Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Blythewood, SC

Platform Identity schp.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 27, 1985

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Bruce Kenneth Smalls served in the the United States military (1973) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper First Class Bruce Kenneth Smalls 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In SC, 271 of 440 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.6% of this state's fallen. That is 61.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At South Carolina Highway Patrol, 20 of 52 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.5% of this agency's fallen.

South Carolina Highway Patrol

of 52 officers

38.5% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 440 officers

61.6% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious