Cotesworth Pinckney Fishburne

South Carolina State Dispensary Commission — Columbia, SC

Felonious

End of Watch July 6, 1909

The Vigil Panel 23 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Dispensary Constable Pinckney Fishburne and Deputy Dispensary Constable John Altman were shot and killed in Ravenel, South Carolina, while attempting to stop a man from taking a keg of contraband whiskey from the town's railroad station.

Constable Fishburne stopped the man as he tried to leave the depot in a horse and buggy. When told he had to turn over the whiskey, the man opened fire, striking Constable Fishburne in the chest. The subject then shot and mortally wounded Deputy Constable Altman, whom Constable Fishburne had deputized to assist him.

The subject fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. Constable Fishburne died of his wound approximately one hour later. Deputy Constable Altman was transported to a hospital in Charleston where he died three days later.

The man who murdered both officers was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Constable Fishburne was survived by his wife and several children.

Survivors

Constable Fishburne was survived by his wife and several children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-03A95A94
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.
Dispensary Constable Fishburne served with the South Carolina State Dispensary Commission.
Thank you for your service to the Columbia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Dispensary Constable Fishburne.

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

Agency

Department South Carolina State Dispensary Commission

Location Columbia, SC

Platform Identity scsdc.richland.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 6, 1909

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Dispensary Constable Cotesworth Pinckney Fishburne 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 SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At South Carolina State Dispensary Commission, 9 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

South Carolina State Dispensary Commission

of 9 officers

100% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious