Garland West Fisher Jr.

Virginia State Police — North Chesterfield, VA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 15, 1976

Age 33

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 51

Incident

Trooper Garland Fisher was shot and killed after being abducted during a traffic stop a wrong-way driver on I-85, south of Petersburg. Unbeknownst to Trooper Fisher, the 32-year-old suspect was wanted for an earlier kidnapping. During the stop, the suspect was able to disarm Trooper Fisher and shot him. He then forced Trooper Fisher to drive towards Atlanta, Georgia. Trooper Fisher was allowed to radio his headquarters and inform them of what was happening. Virginia State Police trailed the car into North Carolina where officers from the North Carolina Highway Patrol set up a roadblock approximately 10 miles north of Durham. As the car approached the roadblock, several shots were fired from the car. The officers stationed at the roadblock opened fire on the car, wounding the suspect. Officer Fisher was found dead in the back of the car. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with murder and kidnapping. He was convicted and sentenced to 80 years in a North Carolina prison. He died in prison on January 26, 2022. Trooper Fisher was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Virginia State Police for 12 years. He was survived by his wife and daughter. On April 29, 2015, a bridge over Interstate 85 in Dinwiddie County was named the "Trooper Garland West Fisher Jr. Memorial Bridge" in his honor.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-EFEC2E4B
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Garland is one person.

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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.
Trooper Fisher gave the Virginia State Police 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Virginia State Police

Type State Police

Location North Chesterfield, VA

Platform Identity vsp.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 15, 1976

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Garland West Fisher Jr. served in the U.S. Army (1966â1972) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Garland West Fisher Jr. is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Virginia State Police, 19 of 52 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 36.5% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia State Police

of 52 officers

36.5% Felonious

VA — Statewide

394

of 655 officers

60.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious