Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

Julian Branch

Clio Police Department — Clio, SC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 25, 1976

Age 22

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sergeant Branch was shot and killed after a motor vehicle chase on SC highway 35-19 around 11:30 pm. Sergeant Branch was shot with a .22 caliber pistol while trying to apprehend the driver of the fleeing vehicle. He had stopped the car about three miles outside Clio on a rural road near the Dillon County line. He died about 2:00 am the next day. The driver plead guilty and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Sergeant Branch was a member of the force for about 16 months. He was a US Army veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother, three brothers, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-D7F74E3F
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.
Sergeant Branch gave the Clio Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Clio community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Clio Police Department

Location Clio, SC

Platform Identity cpd.marlboro.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 25, 1976

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber

Offender Plead guilty and sentenced to 10 years

Military Service

Julian Branch served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Julian Branch 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%.

Clio 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. Julian Branch'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 Julian Branch Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

1.3

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Plead guilty and sentenced to 10 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Julian Branch is highlighted in Apr.

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. Julian Branch was killed by handgun; .22 caliber.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518