Thomas D. Hudson

Little Rock Police Department — Little Rock, AR

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 19, 1920

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 39 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 22

Incident

Police Officer Thomas Hudson was shot and killed when he surprised a man at approximately 2:00 a.m., robbing a cafe at 922 West Ninth Street in Little Rock. Officer Hudson ordered the man to stop and to put his hands up. Instead, the man opened fire, striking Officer Hudson. Officer Hudson returned fire, killing the suspect. He succumbed to his injuries approximately three hours later. Officer Hudson was a U.S. Army veteran and served with the Little Rock Police Department for over a year. He was survived by his wife. He was the first black Little Rock officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-83F43C74
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.
Police Officer Hudson gave the Little Rock Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Little Rock 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 Little Rock Police Department

Location Little Rock, AR

Platform Identity lrpd.pulaski.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 19, 1920

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

Thomas D. Hudson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Thomas D. Hudson 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Little Rock Police Department, 19 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 82.6% of this agency's fallen.

Little Rock Police Department

of 23 officers

82.6% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious