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Wilmer M. Richards
Agency patch
Officer

Wilmer M. Richards

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA
Felonious
United States flag Georgia flag
End of Watch December 2, 1952
Age 60
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 87

Incident

Officer Tex Richards was shot and killed while assisting fellow officers with a man who had barricaded himself in his home at the intersection of North Avenue and Williams Street near the Georgia Tech campus. Officers had gone to the suspect's home to investigate a hit-and-run accident after a motorist complained that he backed into his car and left the scene. The suspect met them at his front door with a shotgun and refused to come out. At 3:00 p.m., when the officers attempted to dislodge him with teargas, he opened fire, killing Officer Richards and wounding three other officers. The officers returned fire and killed the man. Officer Richards had served with the Atlanta Police Department for 25 years and would have retired in two months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, two brothers, a sister, and five grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

25 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Richards gave the Atlanta Police Department 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Richards.

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

Agency

Department Atlanta Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Atlanta, Fulton County, GA
Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 2, 1952
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Age 60
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Wilmer 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1952, 71 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 100th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Wilmer was 60. 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. Wilmer had served 25 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. 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 shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Atlanta Police Department has 88 officers remembered here, Wilmer among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Wilmer M. Richards

Atlanta Police Department · End of Watch December 2, 1952

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 46-E

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