Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Craig Cloninger died after suffering a medical emergency after responding to a structure fire involving a trapped occupant at 295 Northview Road shortly before midnight.
Officers from the Mount Gilead Police Department and fire personnel responded to the scene of the fully engulfed home. Officer Cloninger collapsed while at the scene of the fire and rescue personnel immediately began life-saving efforts. He was transported to FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
Officer Cloninger served as a reserve officer with the Mount Gilead Police Department and as a full-time officer with the Biscoe Police Department. He had 19 years of law enforcement service and had previously served with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office and Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. He also served with the Ellerbe Rescue Squad.
Officer Cloninger served as a reserve officer with the Mount Gilead Police Department and as a full-time officer with the Biscoe Police Department. He had 19 years of law enforcement service and had previously served with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office and Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. He also served with the Ellerbe Rescue Squad.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-13517C09- 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.
Officer Cloninger gave the Mount Gilead Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mount Gilead community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Cloninger.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Robert Craig Cloninger is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NC, 33 of 664 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Craig Cloninger's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Craig Cloninger Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Craig Cloninger is highlighted in Aug.