Thomas A. Royal

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Accident

End of Watch January 17, 1901

Age 45

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Location: North Carolina Incident Date: Monday, January 14, 1901

Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Royal was accidentally shot and killed near Footville, Yadkin County, North Carolina.

He and three other deputy marshals were conducting liquor raids and were riding their horses through the area when a Winchester rifle being carried across the saddle of another deputy marshal discharged. The round struck him in the side, fatally wounding him. He was taken to a home in Footville where he died several days later.

Deputy Marshal Royal had served with the United States Marshals Service for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-61EE76DD
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.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Royal gave the United States Department of Justice 4 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy U.S. Marshal Royal.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 17, 1901

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Cause Detail Gunfire (Inadvertent)

Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas A. Royal is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 43 of 313 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 13.7% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

of 313 officers

13.7% Accident

DC — Statewide

454

of 1,419 officers

32% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident