Charles Lloyd Hopkins
Incident
Mounted Guard Charles Hopkins and Quarantine Guard Ira Hill, of the United States Public Health Service, were shot and killed while patrolling the shoreline of the Rio Grand River with other mounted guards and health officers from the United States Public Health Service about seven miles from Laredo in Webb County, Texas. The federal officers witnessed four Mexicans in a boat land on the American side of the border near where the officers were hiding in the chaparral brush. The other officers were about 15 feet away. When one of the officers called upon the men to halt, the suspects opened fire with rifles and revolvers. Mounted Guard Hopkins was hit with a bullet in the right side, exiting the left side of his back. Another officer shot the suspect who had mortally wounded Hopkins. The other officers were involved in a gun battle with two suspects still, and fatally shot both. The fourth suspect was shot and killed while firing on officers from the water. Mounted Guard Hopkins was brought to Mercy Hospital in Laredo and died at 1:00 am on Friday, May 9, 1919. He served with the agency for seven years. He was married but it is unknown if he had any children. He is buried in Exchange, West Virginia. Quarantine Guard Hill died on June 1, 1919 from his wounds. Three years later, US Customs Inspector Robert Rumsey, Jr., was killed in the line of duty on August 19, 1922 near Laredo.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-FED-9DBD2FBB- Stewardship
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- 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.
Mounted Guard Hopkins gave the United States Department of Labor 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Mounted Guard Hopkins.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Mounted Guard Charles Lloyd Hopkins 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At United States Department of Labor - Immigration Service - United States Border Patrol, 20 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Lloyd Hopkins's cause is highlighted.
How Charles Lloyd Hopkins Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Lloyd Hopkins is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Charles Lloyd Hopkins was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from United States Department of Labor - Immigration Service - United States Border Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.














