Roll of Honor
James Mitchell Prince
Incident
Police Officer Mitch Prince was shot and killed with his own service weapon after making a traffic stop on N.C. 87 at approximately 1:00 am.
During the stop, Officer Prince learned that the suspect, 19, was wanted on a probation violation in a neighboring county.
As Officer Prince attempted to arrest the suspect, a struggle ensued. The suspect gained control of the officer's service weapon and shot him three times. Officer Prince was found a short time later by a Southport Police Department officer who had responded to the scene as backup. The suspect later shot at Caswell Beach Police Department and Oak Island Police Department officers who spotted his vehicle. The man was arrested a short time later, hiding under a mobile home.
Coincidentally, the county's grand jury was meeting on the day that Officer Prince was murdered. The grand jury indicted the suspect on murder and ten other felonies within 13 hours of Officer Prince's murder. The suspect was convicted of capital murder and subsequently sentenced to death.
Officer Prince served as a part-time officer for the 8-person department. He had previously served with the Yaupon Beach Police Department, Oak Island Police Department, and Shallotte Police Department for a total of six years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two small children, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-24924266- 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.
Police Officer Prince gave the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boiling Spring Lakes community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Prince.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer James Mitchell Prince 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Mitchell Prince's cause is highlighted.
How James Mitchell Prince Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to death
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Mitchell Prince is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Mitchell Prince was killed by officer's handgun.