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Meggan Lee Callahan
Incident
Sergeant Meggan Callahan was killed after being assaulted at the Bertie Correctional Institution at approximately 5:30 p.m.
An inmate serving a life sentence for murder initially set a fire inside the prison. Sergeant Callahan responded with two other officers. She was using a fire extinguisher to put out the fire when she was attacked by the inmate who set the fire. He gained control of the fire extinguisher and struck Sergeant Callahan in the head with it, seriously injuring her.
Medical staff at the prison and other first responders provided medical aid, but she succumbed to her injuries approximately one hour after the attack.
The inmate, 35, was serving a life sentence for the murder of a man in Cumberland County in 2000. He killed the man with a shotgun blast while burglarizing his home.
Sergeant Callahan had served with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for five years.
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 9, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Callahan gave the North Carolina Department of Public Safety 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Callahan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has lost 31 officers; 13 of them killed feloniously.
Meggan is one of 385 officers killed feloniously in NC, 58% of the 664 remembered there.
Meggan is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Meggan is one of 17,622 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,102 remembered here.
34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2017, 4 officers at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.
In 2017, 4 officers in NC were killed feloniously, the 28th heaviest of 127 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 12.
In 2017, 59 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 129th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 2017, 64 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 125th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Meggan was 29. Of the 13 killed feloniously at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice whose age is recorded, half were between 33 and 49; the middle age was 43. Meggan had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 4.5 years.
Meggan was 29. Of the 370 killed feloniously in NC whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 48; the middle age was 39. Meggan had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Meggan was 29. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Meggan had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Meggan was 29. Of the 15,853 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Meggan had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
April holds 7.7% of these deaths at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice; October holds the most, 23.1%. Wednesdays: 7.7%.
April holds 10.1% of these deaths in NC; May holds the most, 11.4%. Wednesdays: 9.9%.
April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.
April holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Wednesdays: 13.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 41.9% of all 31 deaths at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was blunt object, in 53.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 58% of all 664 deaths in NC, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was blunt object, in 2.9% 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 blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was blunt object, in 1.1% of these deaths.
Her people
North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has 31 officers remembered here, Meggan among them.
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J. C. Freeman Sep 18, 1915
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Thomas Peter Sale Jan 28, 1916
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A. D. Spivey Aug 30, 1928
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Ernest B. Hux Aug 30, 1934
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James S. Chesser Dec 28, 1939
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H. Carl Keith May 25, 1945
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George S. Bowman Mar 4, 1947
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Kermit Dale Jackson Jul 21, 1960
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Earl Cranston Strickland Jun 2, 1969
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Randall Clayton Cupp
Jun 5, 1986
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Leslie John Besci Jun 28, 1992
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David Michael Anthony
Oct 27, 1998
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Shannon Cuddington Smith
Nov 9, 1999
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Edward Ashley Pounds
Jan 9, 2010
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William Lee Wright
Apr 11, 2012
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Keith DeCarlo Smith
Dec 1, 2012
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Meggan Lee Callahan
Apr 26, 2017
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Justin James Smith
Oct 12, 2017
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Veronica Skinner Darden
Oct 12, 2017
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Wendy Letitia Shannon
Oct 30, 2017
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Allen Bruce Trivett
Oct 10, 2020
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Michael Robert Flagg
Oct 26, 2020
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Charles Warren Harris, Jr.
Oct 28, 2020
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Thomas Daniel Roberts, Jr.
Nov 16, 2020
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Joseph Lloyd Greinke
Nov 20, 2020
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Christopher Eugene Sorrenti
Nov 30, 2020
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Julian Arsenio Priest, III
Dec 24, 2020
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Anthony Lynn Hardie
Feb 6, 2021
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Ledell Graham
Aug 30, 2021
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Dennis Eugene Boykin
Oct 12, 2021
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Helen Mae Smith
Feb 3, 2022
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 16-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
