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Federal Prohibition Agent

Thomas Bright Lankford

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch May 26, 1926
Age 24
The Vigil Panel 117 · Column 3 · Line 13 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 58

Incident

Federal Prohibition Agent Thomas Lankford was shot and killed while conducting an investigation in Springfield, Illinois.

Agent Lankford had been left to guard a still in the early morning hours as agents continued raids at other locations. Unaware that their still had been raided, a car that contained liquor appeared. As Agent Lankford questioned the driver he was shot and mortally wounded. When other agents returned to the scene they took him to a hospital where he died the following day.

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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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Lankford served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Lankford.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtirspufed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 26, 1926
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1926, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 24. 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.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit has 59 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years

Federal Prohibition Agent Thomas Bright Lankford

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit · End of Watch May 26, 1926

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-E

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