Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Charles McKnight was shot and killed when he responded to reports of a man threatening a family inside a home on Route 12 (modern-day Route 58) about six miles east of Independence.
He was shot in the chest when he approached the man to question him.
The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On May 25, 1934, Governor George C. Peery commuted his sentence to life. On December 6, 1939, he died in prison from cardiovascular renal disease.
Sheriff McKnight had served with the Grayson County Sheriff's Office for four years.
Survivors
Survivors include his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-98D6E8C8- 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.
Sheriff McKnight gave the Grayson County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Independence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff McKnight.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Charles Clark McKnight 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 VA, 395 of 654 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Clark McKnight's cause is highlighted.
How Charles Clark McKnight Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Clark McKnight is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.