Ernest Lee Ripley

West Virginia State Police — South Charleston, WV

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 18, 1920

Age 22

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 40 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 41

Incident

Private Ernest Ripley, Private Charles Kackley, and Private William McMillion were all shot and killed during a two-year battle with striking coal miners, known as the Second Mine War, in which over 50 people were killed. The strike was finally put down with the help of the United States Army. Private Ripley was killed in an exchange of gunfire with two labor agitators after being abducted in Vulcan, West Virginia. Private Ripley was returning from duck hunting on the Tug River when he encountered the two men on the Norfolk and Western Railroad tracks. The men pretended to be friendly until catching him off guard, at which point they drew revolvers and forced him to walk down the tracks with them. As they encountered a railroad work crew one of the men started shooting at him. He drew his revolver and returned fire, killing the subject, however, the second man shot him in the back several times and killed him. The subject who shot him was convicted of murder and sentenced to five years in prison on December 18th, 1920. Private Ripley was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWI and had served with the West Virginia State Police for only five months.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WV-CB20A30D
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Ernest is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Private Ripley served with the West Virginia State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of West Virginia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department West Virginia State Police

Type State Police

Location South Charleston, WV

Platform Identity wvsp.wv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 18, 1920

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Ernest Lee Ripley served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Private Ernest Lee Ripley 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In WV, 169 of 232 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.8% of this state's fallen. That is 72.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At West Virginia State Police, 21 of 42 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

West Virginia State Police

of 42 officers

50% Felonious

WV — Statewide

169

of 232 officers

72.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious