Edmund V. Thomas, Jr.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office — Charlotte, NC

Cardiac Veteran

End of Watch May 21, 1985

Age 42

The Vigil Panel 129 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 2

Incident

Deputy Thomas suffered a fatal heart attack during a foot pursuit of a suspect. He had gone to a trailer park to arrest the suspect on a probation violation. The suspect began to run when he spotted Deputy Thomas and Deputy Thomas chased after him. Deputy Thomas caught the suspect about 500-feet from the trailer but immediately collapsed. He was transported to Charlotte Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Deputy Thomas was as a US Navy veteran and was survived by his son and daughter.

Survivors

Deputy Thomas was as a US Navy veteran and was survived by his son and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-710589F2
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 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.
Deputy Sheriff Thomas served with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Charlotte community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

Location Charlotte, NC

Platform Identity mcso.mecklenburg.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 21, 1985

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Edmund V. Thomas, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Edmund V. Thomas, Jr. is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NC, 33 of 664 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

of 3 officers

33.3% Cardiac

NC — Statewide

of 664 officers

5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac