Andy Balfour , Deputy Sheriff

Logan County Sheriff's Office

Deputy Balfour tracked Nathaniel Ellsworth “Zip” Wyatt into Kansas in an attempt to arrest him on a warrant issued for him after Wyatt shot up the northern Logan County town of Mulhall on June 3, 1891. Wyatt then stole some riding equipment in Greensburg, Kansas on July 4 and shortly afterwards Deputy Balfour confronted Wyatt at Pryor’s Grove, about ten miles north of Greenburg. Wyatt shot Deputy Balfour in the abdomen, the bullet striking his spine and killing him.

Joe Barnett, Officer

Creek Lighthorse

Officer Joe Barnett was one of a group of four Creek Light Horse led by Captain Sam Scott, from the National Constitutional party faction of the Creeks. The officers were guarding a “notorious character” that was a captured member of the Loyal Creeks or Sands men at the Barnett place near Wetumka. The Sands men were a gang of about 400 led by the outlaw Dick Glass. About day break on Sunday, July 30, 1882, a company of Sands men attacked the officers and freed their prisoner. Capt. Scott was then stood up and held by the hands by a man on either side while the others filled his body with bullets. Officer Barnett was killed when he tried to go to the aid of his captain.

John Richard Barter , Trooper

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

Trooper Barter, 31, turned on to a county road off of U. S. Highway 62 about three miles west of Altus to investigate several shots he had heard about 4:30 P.M. on January 23, 1959. Barter drove upon a man and a woman setting in a car. When Barter went to arrest the man, Ray Allen Young, 29, for being a parolee in possession of a gun, Young shot and killed the trooper with a .32 caliber pistol. Young and the woman, a prostitute named Bernice Scott, were later apprehended and convicted of Barter’s murder. Young died in Oklahoma’s electric chair on December 15, 1960 becoming the only man executed for killing an OHP Trooper. Scott was sentenced to life in prison and was paroled in 1975. A wife and three sons survived trooper Barter

Edward Baum , City Marshal

City of Checotah

Marshal Baum was one of six officers who had gone to the house of Chitto “Crazy Snake” Harjo, leader of a militant group of Creek Indians, to arrest him for larceny on March 27, 1909. Near dusk the officers approached the house and shots were fired as several Indians ran from the house. Marshal Baum was the first officer to be shot and killed. McIntosh County Deputy Sheriff Herman Odom tried to get to Baum but was himself shot and killed. A wife and three children survived Baum.

Jerry Mack Beall, Deputy Sheriff

Payne Country Sheriff's Office

On July 30, 1968, Deputy Beall, 26, was transporting two unhand cuffed prisoners from Cushing to the Payne County Jail in Stillwater along with the Chief of Police of Cushing, O. O. “Joe” Rowden, 60. Shortly after 3:00 P.M., approximately six miles east of Stillwater on Highway 51, one of the prisoners, Marvin R. Gibson, Jr., 19, attacked Deputy Beall, who was driving, wrenching the steering wheel sideways. The car crossed over the centerline hitting an oncoming car head-on. Both officers were killed. Beall was pinned by the steering wheel and Rowden was thrown through the windshield. Both prisoners received minor injuries but did not escape. Driver of the other car survived his injuries. A wife and two sons survived Beall.

John M. Beard, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Beard and Deputy U. S. Marshal Pulse, who was unarmed, rode to the ranch of Bob Hendricks five miles southwest of Claremore on the morning of December 9, 1894, for the purpose of returning a borrowed saddle. The Marshals were met at the door by James Price, who was pointing a Winchester rifle at them. Price was wanted on several charges by the U. S. and Cherokee courts. Beard drew his pistol and fired at Price but missed him. Price then shot Deputy Beard in the head. Price took Beard’s gun and rode off. Beard had a wife and three children.

Seth Beardsley, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

John Harold Beasley, Patrolman

Oklahoma City Police Department

Officer Beasley, 40, was riding in the back seat of a police car with a suicidal mental patient named James Ferguson who the officers had just taken a gun off of and arrested in an alley at N. W. 4 and Hudson, on the morning of May 18, 1933. After placing Ferguson in the police car it was discovered that he had a box containing 24 sticks of dynamite strapped to his body. The officers were driving to a less populated area when Officer Beasley began struggling with Ferguson in the 100 block of N. W. First Street (now Park Avenue). Beasley was shot twice, perhaps with his own weapon, and the other officers fatally shot Ferguson 13 times. The bomb was later detonated harmlessly. Officer Beasley died from his wounds four days later on May 22.

William T. Beasley, Deputy Sheriff

Tulsa County Sheriff's Office

Deputy Beasley, 52, was one of several deputies who concealed themselves around a bank in Red Fork, a small town four miles west of Tulsa, after they were tipped off that the bank would be robbed on September 11, 1919. Deputy Beasley was concealed in a barn behind the bank. At 1 P. M. the bank was robbed and when the robbers exited and started down the alley next to the bank a gun battle broke out. One robber, H F “Frank” Tyson, 23, was killed and another, William Rooker, 22, was wounded. The third robber, John Scott, the informant, was uninjured as he stopped just outside the bank’s door. Beasley was later found dead in the barn apparently hit by a stray bullet from one of his colleagues. Five adult children survived Beasley.

Addison J. Beck, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

By 1883 Addison Beck had been a Deputy U S Marshal working out of the Fort Smith court for eight years and promised his wife he would find a safer occupation after one more trip to the Indian Territory. During that last trip Beck and his posseman Lewis Merritt were looking for John Bart (or Bark) for whiskey violations. About 11 A. M. on September 27, 1883, they located Bart working in a corn field with Johnson Jacks near Big Vienne, east of Webbers Falls and about 40 miles from Fort Smith. As the officers approached the men a gun battle broke out and Deputy Beck was shot in the head and killed instantly. Merritt was wounded in the chest and head and was still alive when a wounded Jacks approached the posseman and shot him several more times before beating his head in with a gun. Besides a wife Beck had two children.

Black Sut Beck, Posseman/Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Black Sut Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

George Beck, Deputy Sheriff

Caddo County Sheriff's Office

On the morning of January 15, 1902, Deputy Beck and Sheriff Frank Smith went to a cabin three miles east of Fort Cobb to arrest some men who robbed a man the night before in Anadarko. The officers surrounded the cabin and called for the men to come out. The officers were greeted by gun fire. The first volley wounded Deputy Beck four times, killing him. Sheriff Smith was shot and killed shortly afterwards.

Sam Beck, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Sam Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

William "Bill" Beck, Posseman/Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

William Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

Richard D. Bell, Night Officer

Haileyville Police Department

The early morning of Wednesday, October 6, 1909, about 3 a.m. Night Officers Bell and Maybury were advised of a disturbance at a house. As the officers entered the house Officer Bell was shot in the face with a .45 cal revolver and killed. Two men and a woman named “Big Myrt” Smith were arrested and charged with Officer Bell’s murder. “Big Myrt” was the only one convicted of the officers death and received an 8 year prison sentence for manslaughter.

Travis Leon Bench, Trooper

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

Trooper Bench stopped Charles Enoch Brown for a traffic violation about 10:30 A.M. on October 5, 1983, on Highway 97 one mile north of the Sapulpa exit of the Turner Turnpike. When Bench attempted to arrest Brown for driving with a suspended drivers license Brown broke loose, ran to his car, retrieved a .44 Magnum pistol and shot Trooper Bench in the head. Brown escaped and Bench died shortly after noon in a Tulsa hospital Bench had a wife and four-month old daughter.

William T. Bentz, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On February 22, 1872, a posse led by Deputy Bentz arrested several men wanted for assault on other federal officers. The arrests took place outside the Flint Courthouse in the Goingsnake District where a trial was going on. A group of Cherokee’s were standing outside the courthouse. Deputy Bentz started toward the group until he was about 30 yards away then motioned for the men to come to him. The deputy then turned to walk back to his horse when one of the men, Wesley Gritz, a Cherokee Deputy Sheriff of the district, shot Bentz in the back. Another man, Sam Radcliffe, came from the courthouse, took one of the fallen deputy’s guns and shot him again in the chest and head as he laid on the ground, killing him.

Joe Big Knife, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On October 22, 1895, a group of U S Indian officers went to the Quapaw Reservation to evict members of a family that had been removed once but returned. As the officers approached the house, Amos Vallier, a friend with the family, opened fire on the officers with a shotgun striking officer Big Knife in the head killing him.

Jim Billy, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On July 13, 1890, Deputy Billy had arrested Simon Clark in Stonewall, which is 10 miles southeast of Ada, for introducing whiskey into the Indian Nation. About 12 miles southeast of Stonewall that night, deputy Billy, Clark and Clark’s cousin, Richard Cochran, who had come along to post Clark’s bail, made camp. The next day the deputy’s body was found with a bullet hole in his chest below his heart and an exit wound between his shoulder blades and the two other men were missing. Clark and Cochran were arrested on August 19 and claimed that the deputy’s death was an accident. They advised that the deputy’s rifle had been laying on the ground and when he bent over to pick it up his pistol fell out of it’s holster, the hammer striking the rifle causing the pistol to fire. The two men were charged with his murder.

Luther Bishop, Agent

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation

About 2 A.M. on December 5, 1926, shots were heard inside of agent Bishop’s home in Oklahoma City. His son and a neighbor went upstairs to investigate and found Bishop dead on the floor of the bedroom he shared with his wife. Bishop had been shot seven times. Two shots were in his back with powder burns, indicating that they were fired from close range. At least two of the bullets were from a .44 caliber pistol. Agent Bishop’s two .44 pistols, always kept close to his bed at night, were missing. The pistols were found the next day hidden in an upstairs closet and his wife was arrested but later released. No one was ever prosecuted in spite of a $1,000 reward being offered.

Shelby Dean Blackfox, Sergeant

Cherokee Nation Marshal Service

The morning of Tuesday, November 6, 2001, Sgt. Blackfox met with Sergeant Garland Thompson and Investigator Donald Bowin of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service (CNMS) regarding drug interdiction activity to be conducted that evening in Delaware County. Sgt. Thompson approved Sgt. Blackfox to meet with a drug informant in Delaware County prior to the planned drug interdiction activity to be conducted that evening. Sgt. Blackfox departed the CNMS office, located approximately four miles south of Tahlequah, at 11:10 A.M. on his motorcycle in route to Delaware County. At approximately 11:39 A.M., thirteen (13) miles north of Tahlequah on Highway 10, Sgt. Blackfox lost control of his motorcycle and was struck by a passenger vehicle resulting in his death. Sgt. Blackfox was wearing a helmet and was not traveling at a high rate of speed when the accident occurred. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at a Tahlequah hospital. His wife Jennifer and two-year-old son Trenton survived Sgt. Blackfox

Robert T. "Bob" Blassingame, City Marshal

City of Wister

On June 17, 1928, two men attempted to rob Marshal Blassingame on the railroad platform in Wister. Blassingame broke free of the man who had grabbed his arms from behind, drew his gun and began a point blank gun battle with the man facing him. One of the robbers fell dead after running only a few feet still holding a .32 automatic pistol. The other robber was also wounded but escaped. Blassingame was wounded in the stomach and taken to a hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas where he died on July 3rd. The dead robber was identified as James Adams alias James Gordon, 25. The other robber was arrested a few hours later and identified as Noland Gordon.

Ed Bohanon, Officer

U. S. Indian Police 

"Doc" Boley, City Marshal

City of Lima

Marshal “Doc” Boley was a well-known and respected black officer in Lima, a small town six miles southeast of Seminole and in Seminole County. On November 30, 1930, Marshal Boley had arrested a young black man named Herbert Williams for larceny, at his home and was leading him out of the house when the mans brother, Taft came up behind them. As Boley turned around, Taft shot him in the left chest with a .410 shotgun. The marshal collapsed and the two brothers loaded him up to take him to the hospital in Wewoka. The car broke down on the way and a passerby stopped and took the marshal to the hospital. Marshal Boley died as he was being taken in to surgery. The two Williams brothers were arrested later that night

Ben L. Bolton, Chief of Detectives

Muskogee Police Department

On the morning of December 3, 1935, a mass jail break at the Muskogee jail was made by five members of the O’Malley gang of bank robbers and one petty thief who had armed themselves. As the prisoners neared the office of Bolton, Bolton stepped from his office, saw the prisoners in the hall, stepped back into his office and got a submachine gun. As Bolton stepped back to the door of his office, one of the prisoners, John Blackburn, aimed his shotgun over the shoulder of the guard he was shielded behind and fired at Bolton. Bolton was hit in the face, just above the mouth, with a shotgun slug and fell without firing a shot. The prisoners picked up the submachine gun dropped by Bolton. The prisoners were involved in another shootout with officers in the station during which John Blackburn was killed, before making their escape. Bolton, 55, died from his wound that night at 9:20 P.M. A wife, son, a stepson and a stepdaughter survived him.

John R. Boston, Officer

U.S. Indian Police

Officer Boston, a full blood Cherokee, began tracking a gang of seven horse thieves from McAlester in July of 1881. He finally caught up with them on July 20 in the Chickasaw Nation, 20 miles northwest of Denison, Texas. Boston arrested two of the thieves with 14 horses and started back with his prisoners. They were soon overtaken by the other five gang members and Boston was killed.

Lafayette Mathildred Boulware, Deputy Sheriff

Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office
 

On Thursday, January 18, 1917, Deputy L.M. Boulware, 59, was a member of a posse attempting to arrest a couple members of the Poe/Hart gang wanted for a bank robbery in Harrah hiding out in a farmhouse owned by Bob Williams, northeast of Boley. The posse reached the farmhouse while the bandits were still at breakfast. Not knowing this, the officers stopped and called Williams out and asked him if he had seen two white men pass that way. At first Williams denied seeing the men, but soon said; "Yes, they are in the house now, but don't start any shooting around here." About that time the men rushed out at the back door and they came out shooting as they ran. Jess Litterell, one of the bandits, dodged into a hen house and escaped the attention of the officers for a short time. Russell Tucker, the other bandit, ran down into a cotton patch, and was followed by part of the posse, Deputy Boulware in the lead. Boulware called a number of times for Tucker to stop and surrender but was only answered by shots. Finally, Boulware shot at the bandit, one shot striking him exactly in the center of the forehead, killing him instantly. Several of the posse were shooting at Tucker, and it is not known at this writing how many times he was struck,but it is conceded that it was one of the shots fired by Deputy Boulware that killed him. This incident had attracted the attention of most of the members of the posse, and Litterell, the bandit who had taken refuge in the hen house, was for a time unnoticed. When Officer Boulware, however, started to go to the body of the man he had killed the concealed bank robber opened fire on him and then called out; "Come to me, you son of a  _____ !" Deputy Boulware, however, had received three gun shot wounds, and only replied; "I can't come, I am killed." He then fell and died a few minutes later. The remainder of the posse engaged in a gun battle with Litterell until he was wounded three times and surrendered. Litterell was convicted of the murder of Deputy Boulware and sentenced to life in prison. He also was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the bank robbery in Harrah. Litterell was also charged with but never tried for the ambush killing earlier that same January of Charles Bullock, City Marshal of Delaware and his Posseman John Garritson. Deputy Boulware was survived by his three sons, Charles, George and John “Emory” and his second wife Jessie. His first wife had died of Typhoid Fever five months earlier in August of 1916.

James C. Bourland, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Deputy Sheriff

U.S. Marshals/Caddo County Sheriff's Office

There had been hard feelings between Deputy Bourland and William Wesley “Fred” Hudson for some time. The afternoon of May 22, 1906, Bourland had arrested Hudson for carrying a gun. The next time they saw each was in Robinson’s Saloon in Anadarko at 1 A.M. the morning of May 23. No words were spoken but both men immediately went for their guns. Deputy Bourland was shot in the stomach while Hudson was shot in both thighs. Bourland was operated on and three feet of intestines that were pierced in multiple places by bullet fragments, were removed. Bourland died at 6:30 A.M. on May 24 at the age of 36. Doctors also amputated one of Hudson’s legs and he died the day after Bourland.

Claude James Bowen, Captain

Shawnee Police Department

Shortly before 6 P.M. on May 31, 1934, Captain Bowen and Detective Robert Warlick were returning from a call in the eastern part of Shawnee when they were involved in an automobile accident at East Highland and Harrison Ave. Warlick was crushed into the steering wheel and Bowen was thrown from the car, striking a fire plug causing a fractured skull and a broken right shoulder. Warlick died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Bowen died August 13, 1935, having never fully recovered from his injuries. Bowen let behind a wife and three daughters.

Abraham Lincoln "Link" Bowline, Patrolman

Tulsa County Highway Patrol

On August 29, 1929, Patrolman Bowline, 39, had jumped on the running board of a vehicle as it was fleeing the scene of a traffic accident. The car pulled into Newblock Park on the Sand Springs road with Bowline’s partner, Patrolman Ross Darrow following close behind. The occupants were escaped bank robber Dick Gregg and two members of his gang. As the two cars came to a stop, Dick Gregg shot and killed Patrolman Bowline. Patrolman Darrow then exchanged shots with the gang members during which he and Dick Gregg were both killed. A wife and two daughters survived patrolman Bowline.

Charles Wilson Bowman, Captain

Muskogee Police Department

While patrolling shortly after midnight the morning of Monday, June 6, 1927 Captain Bowman, 51, and Chief of Police Clark Compton found a Ford parked in the driveway of a service station at Fredonia Street and East Side Boulevard. Two men, R. C. Hansel and Grover Stewart, were asleep inside the car. The officers approached with guns drawn and woke the men up. The men began fighting with the officers and Hansel kicked Bowman’s gun hand causing the gun to discharge. The bullet struck Bowman in the right leg severing an artery causing him to bleed to death. Bowman left behind a wife, a daughter and two sons.

Robert Leo Bowman, Special Agent

U.S. Department of Interior

Agent Bowman was charged with enforcement of liquor laws. On September 19, 1912, agent Bowman and W R Mayfield, City Marshal of Lenepah had set up a check point about one mile south of the Kansas border. About 4 P.M. they observed four horse drawn wagons headed south. They stopped the wagons, found they were carrying liquor and arrested the four drivers. Agent Bowman then climbed on the wagons to start destroying the booze while Mayfield kept a watch on the prisoners. Unknown to the officers, two cars had been following the wagons as guards. As the cars approached, their occupants opened fire on the officers with rifles and shotguns killing Bowman instantly. Mayfield was wounded but survived.

A. J. Boyd, City Marshal

City of Langston 

The morning of Friday, May 11, 1900, E. H. Armstead got in a fist fight with a man named English over the ownership of some chickens. During the fight Armstead drew a revolver when City Marshal Boyd came upon them, took the gun away from Armstead, separated the two men and stopped the fight and sent the two men on their separate ways.

A short time later Armstead met Boyd and asked for his gun back. Boyd refused saying that Armstead was a dangerous man. The request by Armstead was renewed with some hot words. Armstead went to his home, procured a Winchester rifle and then hunted for the marshal. When Armstead found Boyd he asked for his gun and again Boyd refused to give it to him. Armstead then shot Boyd with the bullet penetrating his breast at a point opposite the apex of the heart, killing him instantly. 

Armstead tried to get away but was captured by friends of the dead marshal. Mob violence against Armstead was hinted but was averted.  Armstead was then taken to the Logan County jail in Guthrie under heavy guard.

Marshal Boyd was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

James Alexander Bradley, Officer

Oilton Police Department

About 10 P.M. on April 29, 1985, Officer Bradley, 60, was directing traffic due to a fatality traffic accident on rain slick Highway 51 one and a half miles east of Drumright when he was struck by a 1974 Ford wrecker that was responding to the original accident. Officer Bradley was dead on arrival at the hospital from massive head injuries. Officer Bradley had been an Oilton officer for five years and served thirteen years as Chief of Police of Drumwright prior to that. Bradley was survived by a wife.

George Lee Brady, Officer

Tulsa Police Department

Officer Brady was killed on April 3, 1963, after being involved in an accident during a high-speed pursuit of a sixteen year old male. A vehicle pulled in front of Brady and he went left of center to avoid the vehicle and struck another vehicle. The passenger in the vehicle Brady struck was also killed. The vehicle he was pursuing wrecked later and the driver apprehended.

John Branson, Deputy Sheriff

Mayes County Sheriff's Office

On Sunday, August 13, 1911, Deputy Branson and another deputy were transporting a prisoner from Adair to Pryor Creek in a one-horse buggy. About one mile north of Pryor Creek the horse was spooked by a passing train and began to run. The buggy turned over and Deputy Branson suffered a head injury. He remained unconscious until his death two days later on Tuesday, August 15th.

Benjamin Franklin Brashears, City Marshal

City of Panama City

About 4 A.M. on May 19, 1919, City Marshal Brashears was called to search for a burglar in the business district of Panama City in LeFlore County. A local merchant named Frank Massey was also called and told that someone was trying to burglarize his store. Massey armed himself with a shotgun and proceeded to his store. Seeing a shadowy figure near his store, Massey fired, fatally injuring Marshal Brashears, having mistaken him for the burglar.

Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Bratcher, Lieutenant

Norman Police Department

About 4 P.M., Sunday, November 24, 1963, Lieutenant Bratcher was three miles east of Norman on Highway 9 returning from a stolen car investigation when he was involved in an automobile accident. Both Bratcher and the driver of the other vehicle died from their injuries after arriving at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. Bratcher, 29, was survived by a wife, a son and two daughters.

Burton Lee Brewer, Deputy Sheriff

Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office

Shortly before midnight on July 25, 1974, Deputy Brewer, 57, and Buck Grace, Chief of Police at Morris, went to a house in Schulter where Darrell Andrews, the killer of Dewar Police Officer Thomas C. Adkins and Henryetta Auxiliary Police Officer Walter T. Hembree, was “holed up.” Unknown to the officers Andrews had gotten out of the house and was in the shadows by a fence in the back yard when he fired a 12-gauge shotgun at Deputy Brewer killing him. Chief Grace then shot Andrews and he was taken into custody.

William Sydney Brooks, Patrolman

Tulsa Police Department

On December 27, 1930 Motorcycle Officer Brooks, 39, was escorting an ambulance which was transporting a man wounded by another officer. Brooks had been an officer only two months. A vehicle pulling a trailer pulled in front of Brooks at the Sapulpa Highway and Carbondale Road in Oakhurst causing Brooks to collide with the trailer. Brooks died from head injuries on December 31 leaving behind a wife and six children.

John M. Brown, Lieutenant

Cherokee Tribal Police

In the fall of 1844, the Starr gang was driving some stolen horses toward Texas when they were approached by a posse of 25 Indian police officers about 25 miles north of Fort Washita in the northern part of what is now Bryan County. Lt. Brown killed Bean Starr in the ensuing gun battle. On December 28, 1845, Charles Smith, a friend of Bean Starr’s who had been riding with the gang when Bean was killed, stabbed Lt. Brown to death

King Charles Brown, Officer

Lawton Police Department

Brown, 48, had been with the Lawton Police Department about one and a half years when on the morning of January 20, 1946, his revolver accidentally discharged while he was putting it in his holster. The bullet went through the lower part of his stomach. He died in the hospital the next morning. Brown was survived by his wife and daughter.

Leander Brown, Private

U.S. Indian Police

Late in the day of Sunday, August 6, 1882, Private Brown arrested Thomas Keener for failure to have a permit to be on Indian land or cut hay there. Brown made camp with intentions to take Keener to the Quapaw Agency in the northeast part of what is now Ottawa County, the next morning. Some time during the early morning hours of August 7th , while Brown was asleep, Keener slipped his shackles and plunged a pick into Brown’s left chest, killing him almost instantly. Keener was arrested two weeks later and because he was a white man was tried in Judge Parker’s federal court. Keener was found not guilty.

Paul Gregory Broxterman, Criminal Investigator

U.S. Inspector General's Office

Broxterman, 43, was assigned to the Department of Housing and Urban Development office on the fifth floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City only two days before the bombing of the building on April 19, 1995. A wife, two sons and a daughter survived Broxterman.

Shepard E. "Shep" Brumley, Officer

Sapulpa Police Department

About 9:45 P.M. on January 1, 1923, an anonymous caller reported a disturbance at 223 North Hickory and requested that Chief Ralph Morey come with the responding officers. Officers Brumley and Hildreth were assigned the call plus three other officers were sent as it was in the “colored section” of the city. Upon arrival the officers found the address to be a vacant lot. They then went to the restaurant next door in hopes of getting more information. As the five officers walked upon the porch of the restaurant, the lights inside were turned off, silhouetting the officers against the porch light. Immediately, a volley of gunfire erupted from inside the restaurant. All five officers were wounded and a wound to the head from a 30-30 rifle killed Brumley instantly. His wife and four children survived Brumley.

Thomas Jefferson Brumley, Chief

Sapulpa Police Department

On Saturday, February 3, 1934, about 3:30 P.M. Chief Brumley, Creek County Sheriff Will Strange and two other officers were checking for armed robbery suspects on a tip that they were hiding out in “a little white house north of Sapulpa.” As the officers approached the third white house to be checked out they observed several men running away from the windows. The officers surrounded the house with Brumley covering the rear. As two of the men were walking out the front door to the officers, a shot was heard from the rear of the house. At that moment the officers and the two men drew guns but the officers were quicker and shot the two men before they could fire. One man was killed instantly and the other died the next morning. Officers then ran to the rear of the house and found Chief Brumley shot dead. Apparently a third man, fugitive bank robber Dupert Carolin, had been hiding in the cellar and shot Brumley. The officers then became involved in a running gun battle with Carolin wounding him before he escaped in to the rocks and hills surrounding the rural house. Carolin soon after killed Sapulpa Officer Charles P Lloyd before being killed by other officers. A wife and eleven children survived Brumley.

Eli Hickman "Heck" Bruner, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On June 21, 1899, Deputy Bruner had 13 arrest warrants from the Muskogee federal court to serve east of the Grand River. He was in a hurry to serve the warrants while the court was still in session. When he arrived at the West’s Ferry Crossing near Spavinaw he found that the ferry was on the other side and the ferryman was gone. Deputy Bruner took his clothes off and attempted to swim across the rain swollen river but drowned before reaching the other side. His wife and three children in Pryor Creek survived him.

Bob Bryant, Deputy Constable

City of Depew

On October 21, 1911, Judge Hacker of Depew deputized Noah Craig, Willis Craig and Bob Bryant to arrest one of Offlie Page’s five sons on a charge of wife beating. The three deputies went to the Page home and as they entered, two of the sons had them covered with guns. Willis Craig grabbed one of the guns, a struggle ensued and shots were fired from inside and outside of the house. Bob Bryant fell fatally wounded. All of the Pages were arrested and charged with murder. Fourteen guns were confiscated from the home.

Jason Victor Buchanan, Officer/Special Agent

Hugo Police Department/Frisco Railroad

Officer Buchanan and Hugo Special Officer Sterling Jackson were patrolling the railroad yards of Hugo about 9 P.M. on December 18, 1931, when they encountered three men who had just gotten off a boxcar. As Buchanan was searching one of the men, Nathan Rightsell, he drew an automatic pistol and shot both officers. Rightsell and one of the men ran off while the third man named Pickering stayed and notified authorities of the shooting. Jackson was shot in the hip and survived but Buchanan, shot through both lungs, died at 12:15 P.M. the next day, December 19th. Rightsell was later captured, convicted and died in the electric chair at McAlester on February 24, 1933. His wife and three children survived Buchanan.

Henry Buckner, Sheriff

Adair County Sheriff's Office

The evening of Saturday, June 12, 1954, Sheriff Buckner and his wife Clemmie were at home playing canasta with friends, Bill and Betty Barker and Robert and Jewell Scruggs when the sheriff received a call on a drunken disturbance at the Gonzalis residence in Stilwell. Chester Lee Gonzalis, 21, had come home drunk and did not like what his sister Margaret was cooking for dinner and threw the food out. Margaret hit Chester with a frying pan and said she was calling the Sheriff. Chester left with an unloaded 12-gauge shotgun. He borrowed some shells for the shotgun from a neighbor. A short time later Sheriff Buckner found Gonzalis walking on Fogg Hollow Road. As the Sheriff approached him, Gonzalis fired at Buckner. One of the pellets struck Buckner in the heart killing him instantly. The Buckners had seven children.

Andrew Jackson Bullard, Sheriff

Roger Mills County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Bullard and his Deputy John Cogburn were investigating reports of stolen cattle and horses on June 30, 1902. They located a group consisting of four men, a woman and two children about 6 P.M. eight miles north of the town of Cheyenne. While Deputy Cogburn talked with the rest of the group Sheriff Bullard talked to a man named Frank Doan. While talking they observed a man, Pete Whitehead pass a gun to another man, Sam Green. The Sheriff started to ride toward the two men as Doan rode away. After a few minutes Doan heard some gunshots and saw the Sheriff fall as Whitehead and Green rode away. Returning to the camp, Doan found Sheriff Bullard dead from eleven wounds from a shotgun blast. Deputy Cogburn was also dead from being shot in the back. The suspects, believed to be members of the Bert Casey Gang, had taken the Sheriff’s horse and rifle with them.

Charles L. Bullock, City Marshal

City of Delaware

The morning of Saturday, January 6, 1917, a Delaware citizen named Thornbrew had been robbed and witnessed a grocery store being burglarized. Identifying the culprits as the Poe/Hart gang, a posse of seven men was quickly organized including Marshal Bullock and two brothers, John and Ed Garritson. As the posse entered the area of Blue Canyon about noon, they drove into an ambush set for them by the gang. Marshal Bullock and John Garritson were shot and killed.

Robert "Bob" Burden, Officer

Okmulgee Police Department

On Monday, May 16, 1921, two robbers invaded the home of Mr. And Mrs. J. R. Harrison at 1504 East Sixth in Okmulgee, stealing several thousand dollars worth of jewelry. Officers Burden and M. E. Spence quickly drove to the scene after alert neighbors called the Police Station. Officer Spence parked the car as Burden got out and started toward the house. Burden was shot three times in the chest by the two robbers who were leaving the house. The men then shot Officer Spence as he sat behind the steering wheel trying to get his gun out. Burden died on way to the hospital.

Cub Burney, Deputy Sheriff

Deputy Sheriff, Kiamichi County, Choctaw Nation, I.T.

John L. Burns, Deputy Sheriff

McCurtain County Sheriff's Office

On Tuesday, November 15, 1927, Deputy Burns and four other deputies went to Glover, a small town ten miles northwest of Broken Bow, with a search warrant for an illegal still in the area. They located the still about 1 P.M. Three of the deputies went to a near by house belonging to Dave Henry, Jr. while Deputies Burns and Joe Bolen began pouring out the barrels of illegal whiskey. The two deputies were fired upon from ambush and Deputy Burns, 40, was shot in the left side and died at the scene. Deputy Bolen, who was unarmed, escaped by jumping off a bluff into the Glover River. A wife and five children survived Deputy Burns.

Walter C. Busch, Patrolman

Tulsa Police Department

Tuesday, October 10, 1944, Officer Busch was chasing a speeding motorist on his police motorcycle when he was involved in a traffic accident at Seventeenth Street and Quannah Avenue. Busch’s injuries did not appear serious but he died from his injuries about 10:30 A.M. the next day, October 11th

         Courtesy of Floyd Snider, Jr
 

Grover C. Butler,  Chief

Tecumseh Police Department

Grover Butler had served as Sheriff of Pottawatomie County from 1921 until 1925. He became Chief of Police of Tecumseh in 1928. About 1:30 A. M. on Monday, April 18, 1932, Chief Butler was making his rounds behind the Tecumseh Post Office.  As he walked down the alley he was shot once in the back and once in the abdomen by Joe Smith who had been crouched under a porch at the rear of the building.  Smith had openly threatened Chief Butler after he was arrested several times by the Chief. Chief Butler emptied his revolver at the fleeing Smith but missed him. Chief Butler, 47, died eight hours later after he gave a dying statement identifying Smith as his shooter.  Butler left behind his wife Louretta and three sons, A. Glenn, G. Wilson and Franklin "Grimmie".  Joe Smith was found guilty of the murder of Chief Butler and sentenced to life in prison.

Otto P. Butler, Federal Prohibition Agent

On the evening of Wednesday, December 11, 1929, Agent Butler and his partner Agent George S. Danhour made an undercover purchase of liquor from John Young in his barber shop in Cushing then arrested him. When Butler went to search the rear of the shop he was met by Young’s wife, Latosca, who shot the agent several times. She then ran to the front of the shop and shot Danhour. The shots attracted the attention of Payne County Deputy Sheriffs who arrested the Youngs without resistance. Danhour survived his wounds however Butler was dead on arrival at a Cushing hospital.

William H. Butler, Patrolman

Bartlesville Police Department

About 5 A.M. on Tuesday, January 5, 1915, Bartlesville Police received a call from a prostitute that the armed robbers they were looking for were in her place of business. Officers Butler and Whipple were sent to the establishment to investigate. They were directed to a second floor room by the lady. The officers knocked then walked in and found two men, Arthur Martin and Will Putnam. Whipple guarded Martin with his gun while Butler took Putnam in another room to search him. Finding no gun on Putnam, Officer Butler walked back into the first room. As Butler entered the room Martin drew a gun but Butler was able to draw his gun and shoot Martin. As Putnam came up behind Butler from the other room he drew a gun that Butler failed to find during his search and shot Butler in the left side. Martin and Putnam then ran out of the building but Martin fell dead a short distance away and Putnam escaped. Officer Butler was taken to the hospital but died at 8:30 P.M. that night. His wife, son and daughter survived Butler.

Donald L. Byerley, Sergeant

Tulsa Police Department

Sergeant Byerley, 34, and his partner, Officer Curtis W Haley stopped a motorist just after midnight on Sunday, October 12, 1980, on the entrance ramp to west bound I-244 from Delaware Avenue. The officers were talking to the driver, Earl McDaniel in their police car when a vehicle driven by Fred A Clapp rammed it from behind. The officers and McDaniel were pinned in the police care for almost an hour. Byerley never regained consciousness after the accident and died about 2 A.M. on December 15. Byerley left behind a wife and two daughters.

James Alexander "Coot" Byrd, Constable

City of Kingston

About sundown on Friday, August 26, 1927, Constable Alexander, 42, was standing on a sidewalk in Kingston when “young” General Kizziar walked up to him, pulled Byrd’s gun from its scabbard and hit the Constable on the right side of his head with the gun without saying a word, causing a fractured skull. Byrd was able to drive himself to the doctor’s office then home later. Byrd lost consciousness during the night and was rushed to the Sherman Hospital in Sherman, Texas where he died Monday morning, August 29th. Kizziar was charged with the Constable’s murder. Byrd leaves behind a wife and three children.

William F. Byrd, Patrolman

Oklahoma City Police Department

Byrd was an original member of the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Mounted Patrol formed on August 1, 1919. He was killed the second night of the unit’s existence. The night of Saturday, August 2, 1919, Officer Byrd responded to the sound of gunshots coming from behind a house at 509 N Rhode Island. As Byrd walked around the corner of the house Bill Roberts opened fire on him. Officer Byrd was mortally wounded but was able to shot Roberts four times before he died. Roberts died the next day.