Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Charles L. Lynch

Alpena County Sheriff's Office — Alpena, MI

Felonious

End of Watch August 17, 1887

Age 37

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Charles Lynch succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained almost two months earlier when he was shot by the leader of the Blinky Morgan Gang, who was wanted for the murder of Detective William Hulligan of the Cleveland, Ohio, Police Department, February 8th, 1877. The leader was apprehended along with two of his members. The leader was convicted of murder and hanged in Ohio on August 3, 1888. Sheriff Lynch had served as the sheriff of the Alpena County Sheriff's Office for one year and had previously served as the undersheriff.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-5AD41B1D
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

139 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Lynch gave the Alpena County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Alpena community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Alpena County Sheriff's Office

Location Alpena, MI

Platform Identity acso.alpena.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 17, 1887

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1888

Sheriff Charles L. Lynch 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Alpena County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% 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. Charles L. Lynch'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 Charles L. Lynch Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Executed in 1888

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles L. Lynch is highlighted in Aug.

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. Charles L. Lynch 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