Sheppard E. Brumley

Sapulpa Police Department — Sapulpa, OK

Felonious

End of Watch January 1, 1923

Age 41

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 44 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Patrolman Sheppard Brumley was shot and killed while he and four officers investigated a disturbance called in on North Hickory Street. When the officers arrived at the scene, they found the location was a vacant lot. They decided to check a restaurant next door to the lot. As they walked onto the porch, the lights inside the restaurant were turned off, leaving the officers standing in the light. Shots were then fired from within the restaurant and Patrolman Brumley was struck in the head with a round from a .30-.30 rifle. The one other officer was killed, and the other four officers were wounded. The suspect, 48, who fired the shots was arrested in Oakland, California, on September 1, 1927, after he bragged that he murdered Patrolman Brumley to a friend who then informed police. He was extradited back to Oklahoma. On February 15, 1929, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. On April 1, 1930, after being made a trustee, he simply walked away from McAlester Penitentiary. On November 4, 1932, he was recaptured in Monroe, Louisiana, and returned to the Oklahoma Penitentiary. One of the suspect's friends, who helped him evade authorities in Oklahoma, had been lynched shortly after the shooting. Patrolman Brumley was survived by his wife and four children. Patrolman Brumley's brother, Chief Thomas Brumley, was also shot and killed in the line of duty while serving with the Sapulpa Police Department.

Survivors

Patrolman Brumley was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-B3C6AA93
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Brumley gave the Sapulpa Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sapulpa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Brumley.

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

Agency

Department Sapulpa Police Department

Location Sapulpa, OK

Platform Identity spd.creek.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 1, 1923

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; .30-.30

Offender Sentenced to life

Patrolman Sheppard E. Brumley is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Sapulpa Police Department, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Sapulpa Police Department

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious