Crit Bryant
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Crit Bryant

Whitley County Sheriff's Office — Williamsburg, KY
Felonious
End of Watch December 3, 1910
Age 58
The Vigil Panel 25 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Crit Bryant was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who was acting disorderly and firing a gun. The man had been drinking in Jellico, Tennessee, and was walking along the railroad tracks toward Saxton when Deputy Bryant encountered him. He was shot twice while attempting to arrest him and fatally wounded.

He was carried to his brother's home in Jellico where he died. The Jellico marshal formed a posse and located the man near Saxton. One of the posse members was shot and wounded when they tried to arrest the suspect. The Jellico marshal returned fire killing the suspect.

Deputy Bryant was survived by his wife, two sons, and three daughters.

Survivors

Deputy Bryant was survived by his wife, two sons, and three daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-D4A717AE
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Location Williamsburg, KY
Platform Identity wcso.whitley.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1910
Age 58
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff Crit Bryant is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Whitley County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Whitley County Sheriff's Office
7
of 7 officers
100% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Crit Bryant Compares

Age at End of Watch
58
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Crit Bryant is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Crit Bryant was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location