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Incident
Motorcycle Officer Elsie Lewis was shot and killed when he and his partner stopped a vehicle, occupied by two men, for running a red light. One of the suspects opened fire, killing Officer Lewis and wounding the other officer. The wounded officer, with a bullet in his leg, chased and cornered the suspects several blocks away. As he fought with them, several citizens came to his assistance and the suspects were subdued. Both suspects were charged with murder. The gunman was convicted of murder and executed in the electric chair on July 10th, 1928.
Survivors
Officer Lewis was survived by his expectant wife and a son.
In Our Keeping
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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.
Motorcycle Officer Lewis served with the Birmingham Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Motorcycle Officer Lewis.
— 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.
Elsie is one of 405 officers killed feloniously in AL, 63% of the 643 remembered there.
Elsie is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Elsie 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 1928, 1 officer at Birmingham Police Department was killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 25 years on record. The heaviest was 2004, with 3.
In 1928, 4 officers in AL were killed feloniously, the 26th heaviest of 131 years on record. The heaviest was 1918, with 10.
In 1928, 201 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 13th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1928, 202 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Elsie was 26. Of the 22 killed feloniously at Birmingham Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 27.3 and 43.5; the middle age was 34.
Elsie was 26. Of the 344 killed feloniously in AL whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 49; the middle age was 40.
Elsie was 26. 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.
Elsie was 26. Of the 15,853 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
When
March holds 14.7% of these deaths at Birmingham Police Department; November holds the most, 14.7%. Saturdays: 8.8%.
March holds 4.7% of these deaths in AL; September holds the most, 9.9%. Saturdays: 15.8%.
March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
March holds 7.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 69.4% of all 49 deaths at Birmingham Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 8.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 63% of all 643 deaths in AL, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 19.8% 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 20.9% of these deaths.
His people
Birmingham Police Department has 49 officers remembered here, Elsie 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 62-W
Others Who Wore This Badge
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