Roll of Honor
Walter H. Gant
Incident
Deputy Constable Walter Gant succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day when he was preventing illegal voting at a local polling place at 13th Street and Hays Avenue in Homestead Borough at 3:30 pm, during a highly contested Burgess race in the Borough. Deputy Constable Gant had been deputized the previous day by the local constable in the ward because of the election.
A group of three men entered the polling place to cast their votes, but the election board turned them away because they were unable to prove their residency. Deputy Constable Gant removed the three men once a disturbance had started. The three men returned in the afternoon and were stopped by Deputy Constable Gant and an election officer. During the argument, one of the men struck Deputy Constable Gant and was about to hit the election officer when a second subject produced a handgun and shot Deputy Constable Gant in the abdomen. All three subjects fled the scene in an automobile. Deputy Constable Gant was rushed to Homestead Hospital, where he succumbed to his gunshot wound just after midnight.
Two of the three subjects were arrested the next day by detectives, and a third subject was arrested in Stubenville, Ohio, and extradited to Pittsburgh. On February 20, 1921, one of the three subjects was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 6-12 years in prison. The two other suspects were found not guilty of accessory to murder.
Deputy Constable Gant served with the Pennsylvania State Constable - Allegheny County for two days.
He is buried at Homestead Cemetery in Homestead, Pennsylvania.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-CF56C820- Stewardship
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- 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 Constable Gant served with the Pennsylvania State Constable.
Thank you for your service to the Pittsburgh community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Constable Gant.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Constable Walter H. Gant 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Pennsylvania State Constable - Allegheny County, 10 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 90.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter H. Gant's cause is highlighted.
How Walter H. Gant Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter H. Gant is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter H. Gant was killed by handgun; .32 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from Pennsylvania State Constable - Allegheny County are honored on badge.nw.
