Charles Sherman Patterson
Agency patch
Special Officer

Charles Sherman Patterson

Accident
End of Watch August 29, 1921
Age 55
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Arizona Incident Date: Sunday, August 28, 1921

Special Officer Charles Patterson suffered a fatal gunshot wound in Ash Fork, Arizona, when his service weapon fell from its holster and discharged.

He was chasing a hobo when the accident occurred. He died from his wound the following day after being taken to a hospital in Prescott.

Officer Patterson had served in law enforcement for 11 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-BB522554
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Patterson gave the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Topeka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Patterson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Topeka, KS
Platform Identity atsfrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 29, 1921
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Gunfire (Inadvertent)

Special Officer Charles Sherman Patterson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In KS, 66 of 335 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 19.7% of this state's fallen. That is 19.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department, 8 of 32 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department
8
of 32 officers
25% Accident
KS — Statewide
66
of 335 officers
19.7% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Sherman Patterson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Charles Sherman Patterson Compares

Age at Death
55
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Sherman Patterson is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location