Roll of Honor
James Reuben Lee
Incident
Rural Police Officer Reuben Lee was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two men at Chimney Rock for drinking in public.
Officer Lee observed the two men drinking whiskey on the rocks below the Esmeralda Pavilion and approached them to question them. When he asked the men if they were armed one of them took several steps back and opened fire on him with a .45 caliber handgun, wounding him. Officer Lee was transported to Rutherford Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds early the next morning.
Both men fled the scene but were arrested later in the day. The subject who shot Officer Lee was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years at hard labor.
Officer Lee had served as a rural police officer for Rutherford County for several years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, five children, father, and five siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-8B02E1AD- 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.
Rural Police Officer Lee gave the Rutherford County Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rutherfordton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Rural Police Officer Lee.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Rural Police Officer James Reuben Lee 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 Reuben Lee's cause is highlighted.
How James Reuben Lee Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 8 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Reuben Lee is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Reuben Lee was killed by handgun; .45 caliber.