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Fallen Officers
There are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States, which is the highest figure ever.
- Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 20,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Currently, there are 21,183 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
- A total of 1,512 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 63 hours or 151 per year. There were 143 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2016.
This page is made in order to honor the memory of not only the fallen officer's who served on the Lawton Police Department, but also the officer's who passed after serving the Lawton community.
In Memory of Lawton Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
Colonel J. W. Hawkins, 1904. Colonel Hawkins was killed by T.A. Russell, editor of the Lawton Democrat (eventually to become the Lawton Constitution). Hawkins and Russell had some very bad feelings between each other stemming from some charges made by Russell against Hawkins. On the day of the shooting, a political rally was being held on the south side of the 300 Block of D Avenue. Hawkins came down the north side of the street when Russell stepped from the crowd across the street and shot Hawkins. Hawkins was unable to return fire due to the crowd behind Russell. Hawkins was mortally wounded and died about three days later. Russell was tried for murder and was found guilty.
William “Will” Hayes, APRIL 8, 1916. Officer Hayes was attempting to take a male, Carl Dudley, into custody at 1st and C Avenue when he was shot by Dudley. Hayes died the next day from his wounds.
King Brown, January 21, 1946. While on duty, Brown went to Southwestern Hospital to visit someone who was sick. He habitually wore his gun cocked and stuck in his belt. As he was getting out of his car, the gun accidentally dropped from his belt and discharged, killing Brown.
Victor Robert Lee, June 1, 1947. Lee had served as a patrolman for only four days when he was sent to a disturbance call at the Old King Cafe located at 101 E. Dearborn in East Lawton on May 31, 1947. When he arrived, he attempted to disarm a black male named Josh Browning. Browning shot Lee who in turn shot Browning. Lee was fatally wounded and died the next day. Browning was shot in the chest but a pocket full of nickels deflected the bullet saving his life. Browning was arraigned on a murder charge and freed on a $5000.00 bond on June 13. A few years later, Browning was killed in a fire.