Reuben Ragland Brunson
Agency patch
Constable

Reuben Ragland Brunson

Felonious
End of Watch February 23, 1908
Age 41
The Vigil Panel 22 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable R. Ragland Brunson was shot and killed while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a subject north of Dillon.

He had made an unrelated arrest about eight miles north of Dillon and was transporting his prisoner when he encountered another wanted man driving a buggy on the roadway in the opposite direction. As he dismounted his buggy to serve the warrant the man in the other buggy shot him before fleeing.

With the help of his prisoner, Constable Brunson got back into his buggy and started toward a doctor's home but died before reaching it.

The man who killed Constable Brunson was arrested the following month. He was convicted of manslaughter in November 1908 and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Constable Brunson was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Constable Brunson was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-A13255AB
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.
Constable Brunson served with the Marion County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Marion community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Brunson.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Marion, SC
Platform Identity mcco.marion.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 23, 1908
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Constable Reuben Ragland Brunson 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%.

Marion County Constable's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% 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. Reuben Ragland Brunson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Reuben Ragland Brunson Compares

Age at Death
41
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Reuben Ragland Brunson is highlighted in Feb.

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. Reuben Ragland Brunson was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Marion County Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.