Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Goodwin was shot and killed by a man shortly after arresting a second man on a vagrancy warrant. Officer Goodwin had arrested the man in a boarding house, and as they walked onto the porch they encountered another man whom Officer Goodwin did not recognize. The suspect immediately produced a revolver and shot Officer Goodwin, killing him. Officer Goodwin had been shot and wounded two years earlier, on February 26, 1916, in the same incident in which Chief of Police Thomas Wallace was killed.
Survivors
Officer Goodwin was survived by his wife, son, and three brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-19D10564- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Goodwin served with the Bessemer Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bessemer community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Goodwin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer J. Carl Goodwin 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Bessemer Police Dept., 10 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. J. Carl Goodwin's cause is highlighted.
How J. Carl Goodwin Compares
Offender Outcome
Not available
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. J. Carl Goodwin is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. J. Carl Goodwin was killed by handgun; revolver.
Others Who Wore This Badge
9 officers from Bessemer Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
