William Cole

Robeson County Sheriff's Office — Lumberton, NC

Felonious

End of Watch November 22, 1879

Age 23

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Sheriff William Cole was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a man in the Red Banks area of the county.

When Deputy Cole located the man walking along a roadway he called out to him and informed he had a warrant to arrest him. When the man asked Deputy Cole to read the warrant, Deputy Cole tucked his rifle under his arm and started to read it. The man then drew a concealed pistol and shot Deputy Cole in the head, killing him.

As Deputy Cole lay on the ground the man shot him again in the chest before walking away.

The suspect was later arrested in June 1881 in Marlboro County, South Carolina and held until he could be returned to North Carolina.

I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and carried on our law enforcement family history. 1995-1999 Ryan Nabors

Ryan Nabors, Veteran USCG related to Mr. Cole March 16th, 2020

In Our Keeping

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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

147 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Cole served with the Robeson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lumberton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Robeson County Sheriff's Office

Location Lumberton, NC

Platform Identity rcso.robeson.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 22, 1879

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Apprehended

Deputy Sheriff William Cole 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 Robeson County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Robeson County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious