Michael McKinnie
Correctional Lieutenant

Michael McKinnie

Illness
End of Watch September 10, 2021
Age 56
The Vigil Panel 177 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Correctional Lieutenant Michael McKinnie died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Jimmy Autry Correctional Institute at 3178 Mt. Zion Church Road in Pelham.

Lieutenant McKinnie had served with the Georgia Department of Corrections for 21 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Correctional Lieutenant Michael McKinnie died on September 10, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 56.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 12 at Georgia Dept. of Corrections.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-16284F9A
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Correctional Lieutenant McKinnie served with the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Georgia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Lieutenant McKinnie.

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

Agency

Location Atlanta, GA
Platform Identity gdcorr.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 10, 2021
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Correctional Lieutenant Michael McKinnie is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In GA, 63 of 903 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Georgia Dept. of Corrections, 12 of 38 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 31.6% of this agency's fallen.

Georgia Dept. of Corrections
12
of 38 officers
31.6% Illness
GA — Statewide
63
of 903 officers
7% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael McKinnie's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Michael McKinnie Compares

Age at End of Watch
56
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Michael McKinnie is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location