Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

John King

Bamberg Police Department — Bamberg, SC

Felonious

End of Watch February 4, 1903

Age 40

Tour of Duty 1 mo

The Vigil Panel 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief of Police John King was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance at a home on Factory Hill. A woman reported that she had been assaulted by her husband in the home. When Chief King went to investigate the reports the man shot him through the home's door with a shotgun.

The suspect was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 10 years, and paroled on December 24, 1911.

Chief King had only served with the Bamberg Police Department for one month.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-002223EB
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.
Chief of Police King served with the Bamberg Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bamberg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police King.

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

Agency

Department Bamberg Police Department

Location Bamberg, SC

Platform Identity bpd.bamberg.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1903

Tour of Duty 1 mo

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Paroled in 1911

Chief of Police John King 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 SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Bamberg Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John King's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How John King Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

0.1

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Paroled in 1911

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John King is highlighted in Feb.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John King was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518