Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

L. C. Hilton

Polk County Sheriff's Office — Columbus, NC

Felonious

End of Watch March 26, 1905

The Vigil Panel 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Deputy Sheriff L. C. Hilton was shot and killed by a man he had arrested for carrying concealed weapons.

When taken before a magistrate, the suspect bolted from the deputy and escaped. Deputy Hilton pursued and fired at the suspect. The suspect returned fire killing him.

The 19-year-old suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison in October of 1905. He was pardoned by Governor William W. Kitchen on April 18, 1912.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-7F48B4BF
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Hilton served with the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hilton.

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

Agency

Department Polk County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Columbus, Polk County, NC

Platform Identity pcso.polk.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 26, 1905

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Deputy Sheriff L. C. Hilton 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 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%.

Polk County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. L. C. Hilton's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How L. C. Hilton Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. L. C. Hilton is highlighted in Mar.

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. L. C. Hilton was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Polk County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.