Roll of Honor

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Investigator

Sherry Elizabeth Lyons-Williams

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA

Felonious

End of Watch April 4, 2001

Age 39

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 148 ›

Gender Female

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 87

Incident

Investigator Sherry Lyons-Williams was shot and killed while she and another narcotics investigator attempted to make an arrest at approximately 3:00 pm.

The officers had purchased drugs from the residence at 1855 Lakewood Terrace earlier in the day during an undercover operation and returned to the home for the arrest. As the officers were securing the stairway to the basement, the suspect opened fire with a .45 caliber handgun striking Investigator Lyons-Williams in the chest and her partner in the leg and face. The rounds which struck Officer Lyons-Williams bypassed her vest. Her wounded partner was able to return fire and kill the suspect.

Both officers were transported to a local hospital where Investigator Lyons-Williams was pronounced dead.

Investigator Lyons-Williams is the first female officer from her agency to be killed in the line of duty. She had served with the Atlanta Police Department for 13 years.

Survivors

She is survived by her husband.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-04940663
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.
Investigator Lyons-Williams gave the Atlanta Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Investigator Lyons-Williams.

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

Agency

Department Atlanta Police Department

Location Atlanta, GA

Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 4, 2001

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 39

Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Investigator Sherry Elizabeth Lyons-Williams 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Atlanta Police Department, 58 of 88 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.9% of this agency's fallen.

Atlanta Police Department

of 88 officers

65.9% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious