Garnett Edward Dabney
Agency patch
Agent

Garnett Edward Dabney

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch March 31, 1968
Age 53
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 103 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Agent Garnett Dabney was shot and killed while making a raid at a grocery store near Lake Wylie, South Carolina. He and three other agents were watching the store for suspected sales of alcohol on Sundays. After observing two alcohol deliveries the agents raided the store. As the unarmed agents took inventory of the seized alcohol the store owner opened fire with a .32 caliber handgun. Agent Dabney was struck twice in the back and once in the arm. A second agent was critically wounded. The suspect fled but was arrested a short time later. On October 5, 1968, the suspect, 50 was convicted of assault with intent to kill the second agent and sentenced to 8 years. On March 5, 1970, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity of Agent Dabney's murder. His appeal of the 8 year sentence was denied and he was returned to prison. No commitment or any other action was considered in Agent Dabney's case. Agent Dabney was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He had served with the South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control for four years and had previously served with the Rock Hill Police Department for 14 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, and four sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-65A38D5D
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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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.
Agent Dabney gave the South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbia community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Columbia, SC
Platform Identity scabc.richland.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 31, 1968
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Garnett Edward Dabney served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Agent Garnett Edward Dabney 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 SC, 271 of 440 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.6% of this state's fallen. That is 61.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
SC — Statewide
271
of 440 officers
61.6% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Garnett Edward Dabney's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Garnett Edward Dabney Compares

Age at Death
53
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
18
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Garnett Edward Dabney is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Garnett Edward Dabney was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Garnett Edward Dabney served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit Garnett Edward Dabney’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control are honored on badge.nw.