James Lonnie Mize
Agency patch
Officer

James Lonnie Mize

Felonious
End of Watch February 6, 1954
Age 48
The Vigil Panel 89 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer James Mize was shot and killed by a suspect he had just arrested on a warrant. When Officer Mize and his partner went to arrest the suspect he was very friendly to the officers and stated the warrant was a mistake. Because the suspect was being so nice Officer Mize's partner drove the suspect's car to the stationhouse while Officer Mize drove the suspect. While on the way to the stationhouse the suspect took Officer Mize's gun and fatally shot him. Officer Mize's partner witnessed what had happened and ran to assist his partner but was shot and wounded as the suspect escaped. The man was later recaptured and executed by electric chair in 1956. Officer Mize is buried in East View Cemetery, East Atlanta, DeKalb County, Georgia.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-4DBD03AA
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 Mize served with the DeKalb County Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tucker community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Mize.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Tucker, DeKalb County, GA
Platform Identity dcpd.dekalb.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 6, 1954
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Officer James Lonnie Mize 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 GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At DeKalb County Police Department, 16 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.5% of this agency's fallen.

DeKalb County Police Department
16
of 33 officers
48.5% Felonious
GA — Statewide
549
of 905 officers
60.7% 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. James Lonnie Mize's cause is highlighted.

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

How James Lonnie Mize Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Lonnie Mize is highlighted in Feb.

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. James Lonnie Mize was killed by officer's handgun.

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