Roll of Honor

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Town Marshal

Freeman O. Epps

Arabi Police Department — Arabi, GA

Felonious

End of Watch July 9, 1938

Age 61

The Vigil Panel 75 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Town Marshal Freeman Epps was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for being drunk in public.

During the arrest, the man pulled a small pistol from his pocket and shot Marshal Epps in the neck and chest. Despite being mortally wounded Marshal Epps was able to return fire and severely wounded the subject. An angry mob formed around the unconscious man and then lynched him by pouring gasoline on him and setting him on fire.

Thank you for your service and please know that on this 82nd anniversary of your heroic and untimely departure, your sacrifice will always be remembered. Rest in peace always

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) July 9th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-A7AD6417
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.
Town Marshal Epps served with the Arabi Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Arabi community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Epps.

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

Agency

Department Arabi Police Department

Location Arabi, GA

Platform Identity apd.crisp.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 9, 1938

Age 61

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Lynched by mob

Town Marshal Freeman O. Epps 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Arabi Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Freeman O. Epps's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Freeman O. Epps Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Lynched by mob

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Freeman O. Epps is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Freeman O. Epps was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518