Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

William Teasley Owens

Toccoa Police Department — Toccoa, GA

Felonious

End of Watch February 26, 1940

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 76 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Patrolman William Owens was shot and killed as he and two other officers were questioning a robbery suspect on a city sidewalk. Another officer was shot in the arm. The suspect shot the third officer, who would have probably been killed, had the bullet not been deflected off the metal badge on his hat. The suspect, 19, was sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled on December 10, 1955.

Survivors

Patrolman Owens was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-AF74FDB8
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.
Patrolman Owens served with the Toccoa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Toccoa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Owens.

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

Agency

Department Toccoa Police Department

Location Toccoa, GA

Platform Identity tpd.stephens.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1940

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1955

Patrolman William Teasley Owens 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 Toccoa Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Toccoa Police Department

of 2 officers

100% 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. William Teasley Owens'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 William Teasley Owens Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Paroled in 1955

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Teasley Owens is highlighted in Feb.

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. William Teasley Owens was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Toccoa Police Department are honored on badge.nw.