On March 2, 1907, Patrolman Owen Lockamy of the Fayetteville Police Department was fatally shot while attempting to arrest a man named Tom Walker for illegally selling whiskey from his home. Lockamy, aged 30, was killed instantly when Walker opened fire on the officers as they began to enter his home. Chief of Police Jefferson A. Chason, who was also shot during the incident, succumbed to his wounds the following day.
The suspect, Tom Walker, was arrested in Dunn, North Carolina, the next day and was subsequently sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging in the Cumberland County Jail on April 15, 1907. The incident occurred in an alley off Church Lane, near Cross Creek Cemetery.
Lockamy's death was a tragic event that highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the early 20th century. His sacrifice, along with that of Chief Chason, is remembered and honored by the community and law enforcement agencies.
