Robert Wooten

Marion County Sheriff's Office — Ocala, FL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 28, 1955

Age 56

The Vigil Panel 91 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Bob Wooten and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Youngblood were shot and killed responding to a shooting call at 615 Elizabeth Street (present-day NE 19th Street) in Ocala at 5:30 p.m. When they arrived at the house, they were met by a female who was waiting for them outside with a shotgun. While they were speaking with the woman, Deputy Wooton was ambushed by gunfire from inside the house. He was killed instantly. Deputy Youngblood dropped to the ground and was drawing his service weapon when he was shot in the chest. The husband and wife held off responding officers for over an hour, opening fire as officers attempted to approach the house and retrieve Deputy Wooten and Deputy Youngblood. Assistant Chief Mahlon Tuck of the Ocala Police Department was fatally wounded while providing cover for another officer who placed tear gas in the home. Another deputy was shot in the face and neck, but survived his wounds. Both were taken into custody. The man was declared insane and died while in a state mental hospital. The charges against the wife were dropped, and she moved out of state. Deputy Wooten was a United States Navy World War I veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, who was the jail matron, and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-556BAF87
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 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.
Deputy Sheriff Wooten served with the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Ocala community, 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 Marion County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Ocala, Marion County, FL

Platform Identity mcso.marion.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 28, 1955

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Military Service

Robert Wooten served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Robert Wooten 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Marion 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.

Marion County Sheriff's Office

of 8 officers

100% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious