Herman Cook
Agency patch
Sheriff

Herman Cook

Felonious
End of Watch August 18, 1963
The Vigil Panel 98 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sheriff Herman Cook and Chief of Police James Pace, of the Littleville Police Department, were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a bootlegger. Two other deputies were also wounded when the man ambushed the officers. The suspect was apprehended but died of cancer in jail while awaiting trial. Sheriff Cook was a retired Alabama Department of Public Safety trooper and was serving his first term as sheriff.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-24FFECD4
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.
Sheriff Cook served with the Colbert County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Tuscumbia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Cook.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Tuscumbia, Colbert County, AL
Platform Identity ccso.colbert.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 18, 1963
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Sheriff Herman Cook 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Colbert County Sheriff's Office, 10 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Colbert County Sheriff's Office
10
of 10 officers
100% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% 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. Herman Cook's cause is highlighted.

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

How Herman Cook Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Herman Cook is highlighted in Aug.

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. Herman Cook was killed by gun.

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