George Clifford Burnette, III

East Point Police Department — East Point, GA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 16, 1966

Age 26

Tour of Duty 9 mo

The Vigil Panel 101 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Officer George Burnette was shot and killed by the suspect who had murdered Officer Johnny Puckett Sr., of the DeKalb County Police Department, the previous day. He and his partner Officer Burnette had stopped the suspect's vehicle on Central Avenue, near Cleveland Avenue, for a traffic violation. As they approached the car the man exited the vehicle and held them both at gunpoint. He ordered them to walk onto the sidewalk and then suddenly shot Officer Burnette in the chest. The other officer jumped into a railway cut to seek cover. The subject was committed to a state mental hospital but was discharged after only 10 years. Officer Burnette was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the East Point Police Department for one year.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-7B863039
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.
Officer Burnette served with the East Point Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the East Point 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

Department East Point Police Department

Location East Point, GA

Platform Identity eppd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1966

Tour of Duty 9 mo

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Released from mental hospital

Military Service

George Clifford Burnette, III served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer George Clifford Burnette, III 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%.

At East Point Police Department, 1 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

East Point Police Department

of 6 officers

16.7% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious