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Correctional Officer

Earl Cranston Strickland

North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice — Raleigh, NC
Felonious
United States flag North Carolina flag
End of Watch June 2, 1969
Age 33
The Vigil Panel 231 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 30

Incident

Correctional Officer Earl Strickland was shot and killed by one of two inmates who gained control of a weapon that had been smuggled into the facility during a chaplain service at the Robeson Correctional Center near Lumberton. The suspects then took another officer hostage and fled in Officer Strickland's car. They stopped at a nearby farm where they took a family of four hostage and barricaded themselves along with the guard in the family's home. During the night three of the family members escaped and alerted police. The next day the suspects surrendered to officers who had surrounded the home. The suspect who shot Officer Strickland had been in prison since 1961. He was serving a 70 to 120 year sentence for second degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery. He was convicted of Officer Strickland's murder and received a life sentence on November 28, 1969. He was released from prison on May 2, 1991.

Survivors

Officer Strickland was survived by his expectant wife and child.

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.
Correctional Officer Strickland served with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Strickland.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice
Type Corrections
Location Raleigh, Wake County, NC
Platform Identity ncdpsdacjjdps.wake.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 2, 1969
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Earl is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Earl was 33. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has 31 officers remembered here, Earl among them.

Across the years

Correctional Officer Earl Cranston Strickland

North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice · End of Watch June 2, 1969

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-E

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