Joseph Emmanuel Davis
Agency patch
Police Officer

Joseph Emmanuel Davis

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA
Felonious Veteran
End of Watch June 7, 1989
Age 35
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 134 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Joseph Davis was shot and killed with his own weapon after chasing a robbery suspect into a cemetery near Martin Luther King Jr Drive. When he was found, his weapon was missing. The suspect was apprehended, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life in prison. Officer Davis was a United States Army Korean War veteran and had served with the Atlanta Police Department for seven years, assigned to Zone 4.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, parents, two brothers, and five sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-091B9A90
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Davis gave the Atlanta Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Atlanta, GA
Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 7, 1989
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun
Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Joseph Emmanuel Davis served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Joseph Emmanuel Davis 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
58
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

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Emmanuel Davis's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Joseph Emmanuel Davis Compares

Age at End of Watch
35
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Emmanuel Davis is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Emmanuel Davis was killed by officer's handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location