Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Georgia Incident Date: Thursday, March 6, 1924 Weapon: Handgun Offender: Executed in 1931
Special Officer Robert Gunn was shot and killed after arresting a man near Steadley's Crossing (modern-day location near the intersection of Laney Walker Boulevard and R.A. Dent Boulevard) in Augusta, Georgia, for hopping a ride on a freight train.
He was walking the man to a nearby store to hand him over to city police when the man suddenly produced a handgun and fatally shot him in the left side.
Officer Gunn was taken to University Hospital where he died the following morning.
The killer fled the scene but was eventually apprehended. He was executed by hanging on June 12th, 1931. The man was the last person executed by hanging in the state of Georgia.
Officer Gunn was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, and eight siblings.
Survivors
Officer Gunn was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, and eight siblings.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-RR-47BAD4A9- Stewardship
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- 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.
Special Officer Gunn served with the Georgia Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Augusta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Gunn.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Officer Robert Franklin Gunn 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 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. Robert Franklin Gunn's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Franklin Gunn Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1931
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Franklin Gunn is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Franklin Gunn was killed by handgun.