Town Marshal Thomas Atkinson

Thomas Atkinson

Marshal Atkinson was shot and killed by the brother of a man he was attempting to arrest.

Despite being wounded, Marshal Atkinson was able to get up and again tried to subdue the suspect when the brother shot him in the chest, killing him. Both subjects then fled the scene.

The man he was originally attempting to arrest was captured in Portsmouth, Virginia, approximately three weeks later. A man thought to be the shooter was arrested in Concord, North Carolina, one month after the incident, but it was not him and he was released. Two weeks later a suspect was apprehended in Scotland Neck and released. In 1903 it was reported he was in the Virginia Penitentiary but it was not him. He was never apprehended.