Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer William Hayes succumbed to a gunshot wound received the previous day while attempting to make an arrest.
The suspect was taken into custody and put in jail, but after Officer Hayes died of the wounds an angry mob of citizens took control of him and hung him.
Officer Hayes is burried in Highland Cemetery in Lawton, Oklahoma.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-30C993EE- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Hayes served with the Lawton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Lawton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Hayes.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer William Hayes 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Lawton Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Hayes's cause is highlighted.
How William Hayes Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Hayes is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Hayes was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Lawton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
