Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Elijah Bryan was seriously cut and beaten with a rake by four men when he attempted to arrest one of them for disorderly conduct. He died from his wounds six weeks later. Three of the suspects, two which were father and son, were arrested a short time after the attack.
The father was convicted of manslaughter in September of 1899 and sentenced to 11 years in prison. In June of 1902 he was pardoned by Governor Charles B. Aycock. The son was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 21 years in prison. A few weeks after being placed in the penitentiary he died of typhoid fever.
No passage of time will ever erase your service and sacrifice and you will always be remembered.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo (Retired) Delaware State Police June 20th, 2020
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-NC-C804D4DF- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Bryan served with the Bethel Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bethel community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Elijah Bryan is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,587 officers honored here.
In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.
At Bethel Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Elijah Bryan's cause is highlighted.
How Elijah Bryan Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Elijah Bryan is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Elijah Bryan was killed by edged weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Bethel Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
