Roll of Honor
William W. McKee
Incident
Patrol Inspector William McKee was shot and killed while pursuing suspected liquor smugglers near Alambre Ranch about 40 miles southwest of Tucson, Arizona. On the evening of April 23rd, 1926, inspectors surprised three mounted "rum runners" driving five pack horses loaded with alcohol. The bootleggers deserted the pack animals and fled. The officers unloaded the pack horses and loaded the alcohol into one of the two automobiles they had arrived in. The officers had not traveled far when they encountered an ambush. After a brief battle, the smugglers fled again. Inspector Bill McKee was found shot and killed at the wheel of a patrol car. The suspect who shot him was apprehended and convicted of first-degree murder. Inspector McKee, a U.S. Army veteran, had served with the United States Border Patrol for only two months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-F941606B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Patrol Inspector McKee served with the United States Department of Labor.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William W. McKee served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Patrol Inspector William W. McKee is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,586 officers honored here.
In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.8 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.
At United States Department of Labor - Immigration Service - United States Border Patrol, 20 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William W. McKee's cause is highlighted.
How William W. McKee Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William W. McKee is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William W. McKee was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Military Service
William W. McKee served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit William W. McKee’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from United States Department of Labor - Immigration Service - United States Border Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
