Atlanta Police Department, Georgia
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 19, 1973
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 10 years, 6 months
Badge Number: 1995
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 19, 1973
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Later killed by another officer
Officer Larry Barkwell was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance.
Officer Barkwell was attacked along with other officers by several members of a religious cult who had been harassing pedestrians who refused to buy their sect’s magazine. They gained control of his weapon, a Smith and Wesson .38, and shot him twice in the back. The group was charged with simple battery. The shooter was later killed while being evicted and another officer, Deputy Marshal David Larry Folds of the Fulton County Marshal's Department was killed in that incident.
Officer Barkwell was a U.S Air Force Veteran and had served with the Atlanta Police Department for five years and only two weeks after being assigned to a newly-created downtown foot patrol. He had also been a Captain with the Powder Springs Police Department for five and a half years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, son, and stepson.