Incident
Sergeant Rick McMahan suffered a fatal heart attack while running on a treadmill in the department gym at 510 E 10th Street.
He was participating in the department's wellness program in preparation for his annual physical fitness test.
Sergeant McMahan had served with the Columbus Police Department for over 40 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two children, and four grandchildren.
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
40 years. You could have gone home.
Command Sergeant McMahan gave the Columbus Police Department 40 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Command Sergeant McMahan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
Columbus Police Department has lost 26 officers; 1 of them lost to cardiac events.
Richard is one of 23 officers lost to cardiac events in GA, 2.5% of the 905 remembered there.
Richard is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Richard is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.8% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2021, 2 officers in GA were lost to cardiac events, more than in any other year.
In 2021, 23 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 2nd heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 2021, 23 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 2nd heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
Richard was 59. Of the 23 lost to cardiac events in GA whose age is recorded, half were between 46.5 and 56; the middle age was 53. Richard had served 40.6 years; the middle length of service was 11 years.
Richard was 59. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Richard had served 40.6 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
Richard was 59. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48. Richard had served 40.6 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
When
October holds 13% of these deaths in GA; August holds the most, 17.4%. Wednesdays: 17.4%.
October holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
October holds 9.3% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 3.8% of all 26 deaths at Columbus Police Department, the 3rd most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 2.5% of all 905 deaths in GA, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.8% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause.
His people
Columbus Police Department has 26 officers remembered here, Richard among them.
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Matthew W. Murphy
Dec 26, 1874
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Richard M. Adams Oct 14, 1896
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Charlie J. Roberts Oct 14, 1896
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William Jackson Oct 14, 1896
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N. G. Osborn Jan 31, 1901
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William S. Elliott Mar 27, 1901
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Marion Marchant Apr 17, 1911
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Nelson Harrison Gibson Sep 12, 1915
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Charles B. Harvey May 20, 1920
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James W. Stokes May 22, 1920
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William G. Pate Feb 5, 1921
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Ernest S. Evans Oct 25, 1935
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Harry C. Gibson
Apr 6, 1943
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Sumpter Burns Nov 6, 1946
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Jack E. Boone, Sr.
Feb 15, 1973
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Robert Gray Vining
Apr 21, 1976
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Billy Ray Watson, Sr.
Dec 28, 1976
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James Neal Bowers
Apr 4, 1979
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Thomas M. Bowen
Mar 11, 1984
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Clois Willard Lamb
Dec 12, 1989
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Shirley Denise Winston
Dec 31, 1990
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Sife Perdue
Jan 5, 1994
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Charles Edward Osborne, Jr.
Aug 8, 1994
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Robert Tyrone Kearse, Sr.
May 11, 2006
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Thomas Keith Slay
Jul 30, 2013
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Richard Arnold McMahan
Oct 13, 2021
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 11-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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