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Trooper

Eric Michael Workman

West Virginia State Police — South Charleston, WV

Felonious

End of Watch August 31, 2012

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo

The Vigil Panel 161 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Trooper Eric Workman and Corporal Marshall Bailey were shot and killed after they stopped a vehicle for reckless driving at the commuter parking lot adjacent to I-79, in Clay County, at approximately 8:30 pm.

The troopers determined the subject was intoxicated, placed him under arrest, and handcuffed him in front of his body. The subject was searched and placed in the back of the patrol car when he was able to reach a concealed 9mm pistol that was not discovered in the search. He shot both troopers inside the vehicle and took Corporal Bailey's service weapon.

After climbing out of the vehicle, he shot a tow truck driver who had been called to the scene to impound his car. The tow truck driver was able to get away from the scene and call for help.

The subject then fled on foot and set up an ambush in a ditch. He later opened fire on officers from multiple agencies who responded to the scene, wounding a Roane County deputy in the arm, hand, and stomach. The responding officers returned fire, killing the subject.

Corporal Bailey succumbed to his wounds at the scene. Trooper Workman was transported to CAMC General Hospital, where he remained on life support until succumbing to his wounds two days later. His organs were donated, which helped 50 people.

Trooper Workman had served with the West Virginia State Police for 20 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, sister, nephew, and maternal grandmother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship: 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

You barely got started.
Trooper Workman gave the West Virginia State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of West Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Workman.

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

Agency

Department West Virginia State Police

Type State Police

Location South Charleston, Kanawha County, WV

Platform Identity wvsp.wv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 2012

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Eric 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.

Compare against

Time

In 2012, 66 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 109th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Eric was 26. 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. Eric had served 1.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded