Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Mike Knotts was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man for being drunk and disruptive around 4:00 p.m.
The suspect, who had been arrested by Chief Knotts several times, declared that he would kill the chief if he ever tried to arrest him again. As Chief Knotts approached the suspect on a local street, he pulled out a revolver he had concealed under his shirt and shot the chief through the heart. A short time later, he surrendered to the Aiken County Sheriff.
The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven to 14 years in the South Carolina Penitentiary on November 4th, 1925.
Chief Knotts was a United States Army Spanish-American War veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-E77A337D- 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
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.
Chief of Police Knotts served with the Wagener Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Wagener community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Mike K. Knotts, Sr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Chief of Police Mike K. Knotts, Sr. is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Mike K. Knotts, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Mike K. Knotts, Sr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 14 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Mike K. Knotts, Sr. is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Mike K. Knotts, Sr. was killed by handgun; revolver.