George Staples Burroughs
Agency patch
Officer

George Staples Burroughs

Greenville Police Department — Greenville, SC
Felonious
End of Watch May 6, 1921
Age 48
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Burroughs was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance call on Westfield Street. While at the scene he became engaged in a struggle with the suspect who beat him with a board and flower pot before shooting him in the abdomen. Within a few days the suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. In 1923 his sentence was commuted to life. Officer Burroughs had been with the agency for 12 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-47BCE3BD
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Burroughs gave the Greenville Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greenville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Burroughs.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Greenville, Greenville County, SC
Platform Identity greenvillepd.greenville.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 6, 1921
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer George Staples Burroughs 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Greenville Police Department, 11 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 91.7% of this agency's fallen.

Greenville Police Department
11
of 12 officers
91.7% Felonious
SC — Statewide
272
of 441 officers
61.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George Staples Burroughs's cause is highlighted.

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

How George Staples Burroughs Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
12
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Staples Burroughs is highlighted in May.

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. George Staples Burroughs was killed by gun.

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