Officer Carlton T. Lowe

Carlton T. Lowe

Officer Carlton Lowe was shot and killed near Bay Street and Bridge Street (modern-day Broad Street) after responding to a complaint from a cigar store owner about a man who was in the store.

Officer Lowe made the customer leave the store, but the man turned around about one block away. He approached Officer Lowe and asked the officer what his badge number was. When Officer Lowe opened his coat to show him, the man took a step back, pulled out a handgun, and shot Officer Lowe in the chest. Officer Lowe struck the man in the head with his club before being shot two more times.

The man was arrested by a posse. After several trials, he was ruled incompetent and committed to a state hospital. He was released a short time later but never retried for Officer Lowe's murder.

Officer Lowe had served with the Jacksonville Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife and 5-month-old daughter.