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Detective

Russell C. Pettie

Arlington County Police Department — Arlington, VA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 20, 1954

Age 30

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 89 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Laid to Rest Department 7

Incident

Detective Russell Pettie was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant to a suspect who was known to be armed and dangerous. The suspect was sought to appear at a sanity hearing, where his mother intended to commit him. As officers searched the house at 1808 North Taylor Street, shots were fired from an attic window. Detective Pettie was struck in the head and died instantly. The suspect had barricaded himself inside the home with an arsenal of weapons and held officers at bay for three hours before being killed. Detective Pettie was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran and had served with the Arlington County Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-15601750
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Russell is one person.

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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.
Detective Pettie gave the Arlington County Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Arlington 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

Department Arlington County Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Arlington, Arlington County, VA

Platform Identity acpd.arlington.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 20, 1954

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Laid to Rest Arlington National Cemetery · January 25, 1954

Military Service

Russell C. Pettie served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Russell C. Pettie 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 VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Arlington County Police Department, 4 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Arlington County Police Department

of 8 officers

50% Felonious

VA — Statewide

394

of 655 officers

60.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious