William Albert Pope

Halifax County Sheriff's Office — Halifax, NC

Felonious

End of Watch April 3, 1940

Age 24

The Vigil Panel 76 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Sheriff William Pope was shot and killed while serving a bench warrant on a suspect who fled from the Halifax County Recorder's Court before paying a $25 fine. He was shot when he went to serve the warrant at the lumber mill where the man worked as a night watchman. The man was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Survivors

Deputy Pope was survived by his wife, mother, two brothers, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-66B47731
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.
Deputy Sheriff Pope served with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Halifax community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Pope.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Halifax County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Halifax, Halifax County, NC

Platform Identity hcso.halifax.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 3, 1940

Age 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Deputy Sheriff William Albert Pope 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Halifax County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Halifax County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious