Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrol Officer Robert Beasley was assaulted while using a police call box at the corner of Halifax Street and Mistletoe Street. He was reporting he had a man under arrest who had robbed a woman earlier of her groceries she had bought as she left the store. At about 3:45 am when the line suddenly went dead, officers went to his location and found his body. His head had been beaten to a point that he was unrecognizable. The suspect, who openly bragged about what he had done, found himself surrounded in a house near Poe Station by several Petersburg policemen three nights later. As he tried to escape he was shot several times and killed. Officer Beasley had served with the Petersburg Police Department for only seven months.
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BO-US-VA-0F688EE1- 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.
Patrol Officer Beasley served with the Petersburg Bureau of Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Officer Beasley.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrol Officer Robert E. Beasley 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 VA, 394 of 656 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.1% of this state's fallen. That is 60.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Petersburg Bureau of Police, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert E. Beasley's cause is highlighted.
How Robert E. Beasley Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert E. Beasley is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert E. Beasley was killed by blunt object.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Petersburg Bureau of Police are honored on badge.nw.
