John R. Clinton
Agency patch
Trooper

John R. Clinton

South Carolina Highway Patrol — Blythewood, SC
Felonious
End of Watch May 24, 1983
Age 40
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 127 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper John Clinton was shot and killed with his own service weapon while attempting to make an arrest after a traffic stop at 5:30 PM on Highway 72, nine miles west of Chester. While performing a routine traffic stop, Trooper Clinton discovered that the subject was driving a stolen vehicle and was wanted in Baltimore for an armed robbery charge. While handcuffing the man, a struggle ensued. The subject grabbed Trooper Clinton's service revolver and fired several shots, striking him in the face and chest. After dragging his body into a ditch, the subject fled, ditched his vehicle a few miles down the road, and hid in a wooded area. The subject was discovered in a cavelike area with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and the handcuffs still on his wrist. Trooper Clinton was transported to Chester Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Trooper Clinton had served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, son, grandchild, mother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Clinton gave the South Carolina Highway Patrol 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of South Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Clinton.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Blythewood, Fairfield County, SC
Platform Identity schp.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 24, 1983
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1983, 106 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 47th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 40. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

South Carolina Highway Patrol has 52 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper John R. Clinton

South Carolina Highway Patrol · End of Watch May 24, 1983

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-E

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