Roll of Honor
Bruce Kenneth Smalls
Incident
Trooper First Class Smalls was shot and killed during a traffic stop of a reckless driver on I-95 in Jasper County. Unbeknownst to Trooper Smalls, the RV was being driven by a suspect and an accomplice who had just murdered the owner of the vehicle. The shooter was convicted of Trooper Smalls' murder and was executed on May 3, 2002. Trooper First Class Smalls was a United States Army Veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for nine years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-46C77354- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper First Class Smalls gave the South Carolina Highway Patrol 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of South Carolina, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Bruce Kenneth Smalls served in the Other (1975â1976) before joining law enforcement.
Trooper First Class Bruce Kenneth Smalls 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%.
At South Carolina Highway Patrol, 20 of 52 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bruce Kenneth Smalls's cause is highlighted.
How Bruce Kenneth Smalls Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 2002
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bruce Kenneth Smalls is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Bruce Kenneth Smalls was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
51 officers from South Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
