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Incident
Chief Will Hannah was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for selling illegal liquor. Chief Hannah rode to the man's house on horseback and located the man in a ravine at the foot of Mount Rachel. The chief was shot in the chest with a shotgun loaded with squirrel shot by the man as he chased him. The suspect fled and wasn't located for 26 years when it was learned in July of 1925 he was in jail in Denton, Texas, where he had just been convicted of forgery and was sentenced to 10 years. Chief Hannah's son had been searching for the man ever since he killed his father, when he found an ex-convict who told him all about the man who murdered his father and where he was. The suspect claimed the admission was not true but he knew the killer and was using his name for an allies and then gave officials his real name. He said he met the real killer a year earlier when he came to Texas looking for his family. He said he soon left and went back to his home in another country that had no relations with the U.S. The suspect, who had nothing to back up his story, was returned to Dalton to stand trial for Chief Hannah's murder. No one in Dalton, who knew the killer 26 years earlier, could identify the man as the killer. On September 3, 1925, was returned to Texas.
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- August 2, 2026
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- August 2, 2026
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Tributes
127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Chief of Police Hannah served with the Dalton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Dalton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Dalton Police Department has lost 3 officers; 2 of them killed feloniously.
Will is one of 549 officers killed feloniously in GA, 60.7% of the 905 remembered there.
Will is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Will 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 1899, 2 officers in GA were killed feloniously, the 90th heaviest of 149 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 16.
In 1899, 90 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 66th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1899, 92 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 69th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
When
September holds 7.8% of these deaths in GA; December holds the most, 10.6%. Thursdays: 12%.
September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.
September holds 8.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Thursdays: 14.1%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 66.7% of all 3 deaths at Dalton Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 50% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 60.7% of all 905 deaths in GA, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 8.6% 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 shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 6.3% of these deaths.
His people
Dalton Police Department has 3 officers remembered here, Will among them.
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 39-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Dalton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
