Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman James Brown was shot and killed while attempting to stop the subject who had just murdered Patrolman Wister Reese near Rockingham, North Carolina. Patrolman Brown was patrolling Route 1 when he spotted the suspect's vehicle about seven miles north of Sanford. He attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver fled leading him on a pursuit. Patrolman Brown notified dispatchers that the vehicle stopped but then moments later radioed again that he had been shot. The vehicle, later found to be stolen, was being driven by a New York state mental hospital escapee. The escapee was en route to Mississippi to attempt to break his brother out of death row. Three weeks later the suspect was captured in Bakersfield, California. Since his escape one month earlier, it was discovered that he had been involved in numerous burglaries in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences on March 19th, 1958. The suspect, who was North Carolina's oldest and longest-serving inmate, died in prison July 21st, 2012. He was 90 years old. Patrolman Brown was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for seven years. In 2005 the North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge on US Highway 1 in Lee County in memory of Patrolman Brown.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-626325DA- 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.
Patrolman Brown gave the North Carolina Highway Patrol 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James Thomas Brown served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman James Thomas Brown 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%.
At North Carolina Highway Patrol, 23 of 69 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Thomas Brown's cause is highlighted.
How James Thomas Brown Compares
Offender Outcome
Died in prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Thomas Brown is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Thomas Brown was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
68 officers from North Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
