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Patrolman

James Edward English

Gastonia Police Department — Gastonia, NC

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 11, 1948

Age 31

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 11

The Vigil Panel 85 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Patrolman Red English succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained four days earlier during a standoff with an ex-convict on South Liberty Street. Several other officers and civilians were also wounded in the incident when the suspect opened fire from his parent's home. The suspect's father had called the police when his son forced him to leave his home after he refused to let him use the family car. The suspect was convicted of the murder of Patrolman English and sentenced to life in prison on November 29th, 1948. He was paroled on September 17th, 1970. Patrolman English was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Gastonia Police Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife and three children. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Gastonia, North Carolina.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-A3F38F8D
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. James 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.
Patrolman English gave the Gastonia Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gastonia 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 Gastonia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Gastonia, Gaston County, NC

Platform Identity gpd.gaston.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 11, 1948

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 31

Badge Number 11

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Military Service

James Edward English served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman James Edward English 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Gastonia Police Department, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Gastonia Police Department

of 6 officers

50% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious