Ellis Andrew Shields
Agency patch
Rural Police Officer

Ellis Andrew Shields

Felonious
End of Watch October 1, 1925
Age 34
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 50 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Rural Police Officer Ellis Shields was shot and killed near Chesnee when he stopped a car suspected of hauling illegal liquor around 9 pm.

Officer Shields was shot in the head when a gunfight resulted between him and two cousins. Officer Shields managed to return fire, critically wounding the man who shot him.

The gunman who claimed self-defense was tried and acquitted.

Officer Shields had served with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office for at least three years.

Officer Shields' brother, Deputized Constable Melton Shields, was shot and killed in the line of duty on February 18th, 1930.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-85A4ABEE
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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.
Rural Police Officer Shields gave the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Spartanburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Rural Police Officer Shields.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, SC
Platform Identity scso.spartanburg.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1925
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; Pistol

Rural Police Officer Ellis Andrew Shields 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 SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office
4
of 5 officers
80% Felonious
SC — Statewide
272
of 441 officers
61.7% 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. Ellis Andrew Shields's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ellis Andrew Shields Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ellis Andrew Shields is highlighted in Oct.

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. Ellis Andrew Shields was killed by handgun; pistol.

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