Incident
Officer James Early was shot and killed by a burglary suspect that he and several other officers were attempting to arrest. The suspect barricaded himself inside a garage for over an hour. Officer Early was shot five times and killed and a police captain was wounded during the shootout. The suspect surrendered after running out of ammunition. The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on February 25, 1967.
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- 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 Early served with the Birmingham Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Early.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Birmingham Police Department has lost 49 officers; 34 of them killed feloniously.
James is one of 405 officers killed feloniously in AL, 63% of the 643 remembered there.
James is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
James is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 52% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1935, 2 officers at Birmingham Police Department were killed feloniously, the 2nd heaviest of 25 years on record. The heaviest was 2004, with 3.
In 1935, 4 officers in AL were killed feloniously, the 26th heaviest of 131 years on record. The heaviest was 1918, with 10.
In 1935, 154 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 25th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1935, 156 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 30th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
When
April holds 2.9% of these deaths at Birmingham Police Department; November holds the most, 14.7%. Mondays: 11.8%.
April holds 8.1% of these deaths in AL; September holds the most, 9.9%. Mondays: 13.6%.
April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.
April holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Mondays: 13.8%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 69.4% of all 49 deaths at Birmingham Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 50% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 63% of all 643 deaths in AL, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 23.5% 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 52% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 20.4% of these deaths.
His people
Birmingham Police Department has 49 officers remembered here, James among them.
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J. Wafe Adams
Mar 28, 1900
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George W. Kirkley
Mar 28, 1900
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William P. Walton
Mar 18, 1902
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James H. Mullin
Sep 27, 1903
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Samuel H. Hamilton
May 12, 1907
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Willis A. Smith Mar 10, 1908
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John W. Little Nov 7, 1908
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Loner Denson Camp
Jun 19, 1910
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W. C. Wallace Nov 8, 1910
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Hugh Tully
Oct 13, 1913
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John Aquilla Moore
Dec 5, 1913
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George A. Sims Jan 22, 1918
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John Dickerson Newby Oct 15, 1919
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Sam P. Dobyns Sep 19, 1920
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Walter Claude Hollums Aug 15, 1923
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Ray Payne Feb 12, 1927
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Alexander A. Manley May 26, 1927
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Elsie T. Lewis Mar 3, 1928
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Henry Francis Mills
Aug 8, 1930
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Lee Edward Buckalew May 23, 1931
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William Ira Latham Oct 24, 1932
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Dumas Froy Phillips
Apr 23, 1934
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Forest J. Harris
Feb 8, 1935
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James M. Early Apr 15, 1935
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Homer Earnest Poore Jun 30, 1936
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James Tillman Moser
Jan 31, 1939
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Newton Edward Wolff
Jul 12, 1941
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Fred R. Brockman
Nov 3, 1953
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Herbert C. Osborn
Jul 24, 1962
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Azell L. Harris
May 4, 1969
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Kenneth Lee Spencer, Jr. Jul 13, 1969
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Henry L. Thompson Oct 16, 1972
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Felix Underwood Oct 7, 1973
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William Stanley Jones Aug 9, 1975
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James Earl Rhodes Mar 11, 1978
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Albert Eugene Ballard
Nov 29, 1979
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Edward K. Alley, Jr.
Dec 25, 1980
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Robert D. Patterson
Oct 31, 1982
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Marcus Lawrence Reid Apr 7, 1984
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Sharon K. Robinson
Apr 7, 1984
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Frank H. Dunn Oct 14, 1986
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John Martin Huffman
May 21, 1992
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Robert Sanderson
Jan 29, 1998
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Joseph Jerome Daniels
Nov 18, 2002
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Carlos Winston Owen
Jun 17, 2004
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Harley Alfred Chisholm, III
Jun 17, 2004
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C. Robert Bennett
Jun 17, 2004
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WyTasha Lamar Carter
Jan 13, 2019
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Randall Versie Smith
Dec 28, 2020
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 56-W
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