Philip George Schlatterer
Lieutenant

Philip George Schlatterer

Columbia Police Department — Columbia, SC
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 25, 1974
Age 54
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
The Vigil Panel 114 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Lieutenant Philip Schlatterer was shot and killed while attempting to question two subjects about a shooting incident earlier in the evening. As he approached the men on Gervais Street, between Millwood Street and Harden Street, at approximately 1:00 am., one of them pulled out a sawed-off shotgun concealed in his pants and shot Lieutenant Schlatterer in the chest, killing him instantly. Unbeknownst to Lieutenant Schlatterer, the suspect had also murdered three people in the preceding 24-hour period. The suspect fled with Lieutenant Schlatterer's service weapon. The shooter was shot and killed later in the morning by other officers, and the second suspect was apprehended with Lieutenant Schlatterer's service weapon. Lieutenant Schlatterer was a United States Army WWII veteran and had served with the Columbia Police Department for 22 years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, a sister, two brothers, and two grandchildren. On July 25th, 2005, the section of the street on which Lieutenant Schlatterer was killed was renamed in his honor.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, a sister, two brothers, and two grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-FEF5219F
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Philip. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Philip is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

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.
Lieutenant Schlatterer gave the Columbia Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbia 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

Type Other
Location Columbia, SC
Platform Identity cpd.richland.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 25, 1974
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Philip George Schlatterer served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant Philip George Schlatterer 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 SC, 271 of 440 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.6% of this state's fallen. That is 61.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Columbia Police Department, 5 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Columbia Police Department
5
of 10 officers
50% Felonious
SC — Statewide
271
of 440 officers
61.6% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Philip George Schlatterer's cause is highlighted.

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

How Philip George Schlatterer Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
22
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Philip George Schlatterer is highlighted in Jul.

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. Philip George Schlatterer was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Philip George Schlatterer served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Philip George Schlatterer’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.