Bige Gross
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Bige Gross

Felonious
End of Watch April 15, 1934
Age 36
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Bige Gross was shot and killed on the courthouse steps by another deputy who was seeking revenge over a previous shooting.

Deputy Gross had previously fatally shot the other deputy's half-brother while attempting to arrest him. The deputy was seeking revenge against Deputy Gross for the incident.

The deputy was arrested by the county sheriff and charged with murder.

Deputy Gross was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Deputy Gross was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-E31FD2AC
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Gross served with the Harlan County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Harlan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Gross.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Harlan, Harlan County, KY
Platform Identity hcso.harlan.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 15, 1934
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Deputy Sheriff Bige Gross is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Harlan County Sheriff's Office, 36 of 36 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Harlan County Sheriff's Office
36
of 36 officers
100% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bige Gross's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Bige Gross Compares

Age at Death
36
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bige Gross is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location