Philip Mahan Davis
Agency patch
Police Officer

Philip Mahan Davis

Pelham Police Department — Pelham, AL
Felonious
End of Watch December 4, 2009
Age 33
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 158 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Philip Davis was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on I-65, near County Road 52, at approximately 11:50 pm.

After Officer Davis wrote a speeding citation and returned to the vehicle, the driver opened fire and fatally shot him. The subject then fled the scene but was arrested two hours later.

The man, 29, was found guilty of capital murder and was sentenced to death on June 16th, 2011. On March 24, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction.

Officer Davis had served with the Pelham Police Department for 4-1/2 years. He had previously served with the University of Alabama Police Department and Calera Police Department.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

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.
Police Officer Davis gave the Pelham Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Pelham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Davis.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Pelham, Shelby County, AL
Platform Identity ppd.shelby.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 4, 2009
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Philip 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2009, 59 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 129th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Philip was 33. 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. Philip had served 11 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. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pelham Police Department has 3 officers remembered here, Philip among them.

VI

Where

Police Officer Philip Mahan Davis

Pelham Police Department · End of Watch December 4, 2009

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-W

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Pelham Police Department are honored on badge.nw.

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