Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Howard Franklin was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest an escapee wanted for breaking into a residence. The suspect had been arrested several weeks earlier for burglary and lodged in the county jail.
He was able to escape from the jail, stealing two pistols in the process. After his escape he broke into the same home he had burglarized previously, but was scared away when the owners returned.
Sergeant Franklin located the suspect in a home the following morning. As he attempted to arrest the man he was shot in the chest. He was taken to a hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, by train, where he died on the operating table later in the day.
The suspect eventually turned himself in. He was sentenced to death and executed on October 12, 1917.
Sergeant Franklin had served with the agency for 4 years and had previously served as a police officer for the Newberry Police Department for 25 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-D9CF90F8- 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
29 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Franklin gave the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety 29 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of South Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Franklin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Howard H. Franklin 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 Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Howard H. Franklin's cause is highlighted.
How Howard H. Franklin Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1917
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Howard H. Franklin is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Howard H. Franklin was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Orangeburg Department of Public Safety are honored on badge.nw.
