In the fading light of a November evening in 1942, a dedicated public servant, 26-year-old Charles Gordon Cox, lost his life in the line of duty in Gadsden, Alabama. A patrolman with the Gadsden Police Department for two years, Cox was a married father of two who was committed to protecting his community.
On November 17th, while on patrol with his partner, Cox responded to a robbery in progress at the intersection of 3rd and Chestnut Streets. As they arrived on the scene, the suspect, seeing the officers, turned his weapon on them. In the ensuing chaos, Patrolman Cox was struck by gunfire, suffering a mortal wound. His partner rushed him to a local hospital, but his life could not be saved.
Responding Alabama Highway Patrol troopers engaged the suspect in a shootout in a nearby alley, and the perpetrator was fatally wounded. It was later discovered that the same individual was responsible for the shooting and wounding of a Birmingham police officer just the day before. The swift actions of the responding officers brought a violent crime spree to an end, but not before it claimed the life of a brave young officer.
