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Shirley Denise Winston
Officer

Shirley Denise Winston

Columbus Police Department — Columbus, GA
Accident
United States flag Georgia flag
End of Watch December 31, 1990
Age 26
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 303 · Column 2 · Line 20 ›
Gender Female
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 25

Incident

Officer Winston was accidentally shot and killed when her partner's shotgun discharged as the partner struggled with a suspect at Linden Point and Poplar Street. Officer Winston was approaching the two to assist the other officer when the shotgun was fired. The blast struck her directly below her bulletproof vest. She died of her wounds a short time later. Officer Winston had served with the Columbus Police Department for 4 years.

Survivors

She was survived by her husband and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Winston gave the Columbus Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Winston.

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

Agency

Department Columbus Police Department
Type Other
Location Columbus, Muscogee County, GA
Platform Identity cpd.muscogee.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 31, 1990
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 26
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Shirley is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1990, 66 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 64th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Shirley was 26. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Shirley had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Columbus Police Department has 26 officers remembered here, Shirley among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Shirley Denise Winston

Columbus Police Department · End of Watch December 31, 1990

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 5-W

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