Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: South Carolina Incident Date: Monday, January 24, 1910 Weapon: Officer's handgun Offender: Not available
Special Officer Samuel Boyer was shot and killed in the Royster Yards south of Charleston, South Carolina, when he interrupted several men breaking into a boxcar.
He was patrolling the yards around midnight when he observed the men taking items out of the car that was on a siding. The men attacked him and disarmed him as he approached them. One of the men shot him with his own service revolver before all three fled.
Officer Boyer was taken to a local hospital where he died four days later.
Officer Boyer had served with the Southern Railway Police Department for 10 years and had previously served with the Columbia Police Department.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-RR-69D0E208- 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 Boyer gave the Southern Railway Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Boyer.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Officer Samuel H. Boyer 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Southern Railway Police Department, 17 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 94.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel H. Boyer's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel H. Boyer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel H. Boyer is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel H. Boyer was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
17 officers from Southern Railway Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
