Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Owen, Officer Harley Chisholm, and Officer Robert Bennett were shot and killed at approximately 1:30 pm while serving a warrant at a home near 18th Street and Avenue P, in the Ensley area of the city.
The three victim officers, along with a fourth officer, went to the one-story row house that contained several apartments with a warrant for the arrest of a man on a misdemeanor assault charge. Officer Owen and Officer Chisholm entered the apartment through the back door intending to arrest the man.
The subject broke away from them and ran toward the front of the house where Officer Bennett was about to come through the front door. One of the two men inside then opened fire with an automatic SKS rifle, killing all three officers and wounding the fourth officer.
The shooter and several other suspects were taken into custody near the scene by a tactical team a short time later.
Two of the arrested men, 24 and 27, were convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. The older of the two was executed on March 5th, 2020.
Officer Owen had served with the Birmingham Police Department for 26 years and was assigned to the West Precinct.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, five children, and nine grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-CD64954A- 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
26 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Owen gave the Birmingham Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Owen.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Carlos Winston Owen 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 Birmingham Police Dept., 34 of 49 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Carlos Winston Owen's cause is highlighted.
How Carlos Winston Owen Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 2020
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Carlos Winston Owen is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Carlos Winston Owen was killed by rifle; sks.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
48 officers from Birmingham Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
