Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff John West died two days after being shot by another deputy.
On March 5, Deputy West and another deputy went to a public movie showing in a school auditorium in Robbins, Tennessee. Also in the audience that evening was the town physician, Dr. Wylie E. Foust. During the movie, it was noted that the other deputy was visibly drunk.
The other deputy became enraged when some children in the movie audience laughed too loudly. He jumped up from his seat in the middle of the audience and shouted threats of arresting the children. At that point, his fellow deputy, Deputy West, and the physician got up from their seats and tried to calm the deputy down, but this only infuriated him further. The deputy then pulled both of his pistols from their holsters, brandished them in the crowded auditorium, and opened fire, killing the physician and mortally wounding Deputy West.
The suspect was subsequently convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in the Tennessee electric chair on January 25, 1928.
Deputy West was survived by his wife and children.
Survivors
Deputy West was survived by his wife and children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-A4404A69- 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.
Deputy Sheriff West served with the Scott County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff West.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff John Wesley West 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Scott County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Wesley West's cause is highlighted.
How John Wesley West Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Wesley West is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Wesley West was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Scott County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
