Incident
Police Officer Hans Drasbach was stabbed to death while attempting to arrest a man for fighting in a saloon at the corner of Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue. As he took the man into custody, the subject suddenly stabbed him in the heart with a long dirk. The officer was able to walk the one block to the police barracks and was then taken to Grady Hospital, where he died one hour later. The suspect was arrested in Abbyville, South Carolina, on October 18, 1903. He was convicted of Officer Drasbach's murder and sentenced to death. On January 15, 1904, he was executed by hanging at the Fulton County Jail. Officer Drasbach had served with the Atlanta Police Department for five years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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.
Police Officer Drasbach gave the Atlanta Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Drasbach.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Atlanta Police Department has lost 88 officers; 58 of them killed feloniously.
Hans is one of 549 officers killed feloniously in GA, 60.7% of the 905 remembered there.
Hans is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Hans is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1903, 1 officer at Atlanta Police Department was killed feloniously, the 10th heaviest of 48 years on record. The heaviest was 1973, with 3.
In 1903, 2 officers in GA were killed feloniously, the 90th heaviest of 149 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 16.
In 1903, 103 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 50th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1903, 106 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 57th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Hans was 45. Of the 53 killed feloniously at Atlanta Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 45; the middle age was 36. Hans had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Hans was 45. Of the 481 killed feloniously in GA whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 48; the middle age was 38. Hans had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Hans was 45. 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. Hans had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Hans was 45. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Hans had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
October holds 6.9% of these deaths at Atlanta Police Department; December holds the most, 13.8%. Saturdays: 20.7%.
October holds 5.1% of these deaths in GA; December holds the most, 10.6%. Saturdays: 20.6%.
October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
October holds 7.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 65.9% of all 88 deaths at Atlanta Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 1.7% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 60.7% of all 905 deaths in GA, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 1.3% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2% of these deaths.
His people
Atlanta Police Department has 88 officers remembered here, Hans among them.
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Calvin W. Webb Dec 31, 1858
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Mansel W. Rasbury Mar 7, 1872
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Robert H. Goodson May 26, 1891
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Robert Lee Albert
Jul 17, 1897
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Thomas J. Ponder
Nov 8, 1897
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Thomas Carl Mills
Aug 5, 1898
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Edward H. DeBray
Jun 20, 1901
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Charles Edward Crabtree
May 17, 1902
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Thomas S. Grant
May 17, 1902
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Hans E. Drasbach
Oct 3, 1903
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James A. Manier
Dec 6, 1907
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William E. Armistead
Nov 13, 1916
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Henry T. Adams Dec 7, 1917
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Claude J. Jameson
Jun 5, 1920
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George B. Kilpatrick Oct 18, 1921
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James E. Travis
Feb 24, 1922
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Jonas Aiken
Dec 13, 1924
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John E. McDaniel Aug 19, 1928
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Charles Weir Crankshaw
Feb 2, 1930
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Aaron Benett Roberts Jun 18, 1930
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John William Barfield
Sep 21, 1931
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William M. Higgins Jan 23, 1932
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Frank C. Foster Mar 16, 1932
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Edward C. Robertson Aug 1, 1932
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Samuel A. Smith Oct 24, 1932
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Floyd Alexander Hill Sep 14, 1933
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Alexander Bryant McNaughton
Dec 28, 1944
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J. Harry McWilliams, Sr. Nov 13, 1946
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Marion H. Key
Mar 4, 1948
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Wilmer M. Richards
Dec 2, 1952
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William Graham Turner
Nov 29, 1953
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Clyde Lamar Elsberry
Jul 10, 1955
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Fred E. Nunnally
Feb 11, 1956
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Gid Thomas Ward
Jun 19, 1957
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Charles J. Busby
Aug 28, 1959
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Hoyle W. Dye
Nov 9, 1960
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Claude Everett Mundy, Jr.
Jan 5, 1961
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Joseph Farlin Porter
Oct 9, 1961
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Pearl Martin
Dec 15, 1961
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Charles B. Dickson
Apr 14, 1962
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Hiram B. Durrett
Oct 17, 1963
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Joe E. Phillips
May 10, 1966
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Homer Anthony Quave
Sep 19, 1966
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Michael L. Little
Feb 16, 1967
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Edwin Bryson Mitchell, Jr.
May 17, 1967
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Kenneth Charles Bell
Apr 4, 1968
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Thomas Ramsden, III
Oct 26, 1968
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Donald Douglas Baty
Jun 3, 1970
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Billy Michael Kaylor
Aug 23, 1971
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James Richard Greene
Nov 3, 1971
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James Millard Cannon
Jun 17, 1973
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Larry Barkwell
Jun 19, 1973
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Clarence Edward Harris
Oct 20, 1973
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Henry Lee Jones
Dec 12, 1973
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Robert Michael Dale
Apr 4, 1974
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Gregory Ray White
Jul 15, 1974
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Samuel Milton Guy
Jan 7, 1975
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Cled Neal Wingo
Jul 23, 1975
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Ernest Loyd Wilson
Apr 27, 1976
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Barry Dean Melear
Sep 23, 1977
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James Gerald Crawford Jan 14, 1978
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Frank Robert Schlatt
May 13, 1978
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Roy Watson Dooley
Dec 6, 1979
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Alfred Morris Johnson, Jr.
Feb 16, 1980
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James E. Richardson, Jr.
Jul 19, 1980
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Philip Bruce Mathis
Apr 26, 1985
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Willie Donald Cameron
Feb 6, 1987
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Gregory Lavance Davis
Aug 26, 1988
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Layne Bruce Cook
Jan 27, 1989
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Joseph Emmanuel Davis
Jun 7, 1989
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Niles Frederick Johantgen
Dec 21, 1991
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Randy John Schipani
May 8, 1992
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Wyley Hart Shepherd, Sr.
Jan 14, 1994
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George Dawson
Feb 25, 1994
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Dennis Larry Carder
May 9, 1996
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John Richard Sowa
Oct 12, 1997
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Russell Travis Stalnaker
Mar 31, 1999
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Melvin Grigley
Jul 2, 2000
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Allen Brad Rogers
Jul 24, 2000
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Sherry Elizabeth Lyons-Williams
Apr 4, 2001
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Mark Anthony Cross
Apr 23, 2005
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Peter William Faatz
Aug 3, 2006
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Richard E. Williams
Oct 26, 2011
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Gail Denise Thomas
Jan 24, 2012
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Richard Joseph Halford
Nov 3, 2012
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Shawn Antonio Smiley
Nov 3, 2012
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James Joseph Biello
Jul 28, 2019
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Lucas Henry Sizemore
Jan 9, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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