Roscoe H. Hargett
Agency patch
Beverage Enforcement Agent

Roscoe H. Hargett

Florida State Beverage Department — Tallahassee, FL
Felonious
End of Watch September 24, 1955
Age 45
Tour of Duty 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 91 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Beverage Enforcement Agent Roscoe Hargett was shot and killed following the arrest of a man for making moonshine two miles west of Blitchton, Florida.

The arrest occurred at a community barbeque attended by approximately 500 people. After transporting the man to jail, Agent Hargett and his partner returned to the scene to supervise the towing of the man's vehicle, which contained the moonshine. Another person started arguing with them about towing the vehicle. The agents arrested and the man and were placing him in their car when the man's wife drove by and opened fire, fatally wounding Agent Hargett.

The woman who killed Agent Hargett served only one year in the county jail.

Agent Hargett had served with the Florida State Beverage Department for only six months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and eight children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-CE34AD95
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.
Beverage Enforcement Agent Hargett served with the Florida State Beverage Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tallahassee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Beverage Enforcement Agent Hargett.

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

Agency

Location Tallahassee, FL
Platform Identity fsbd.leon.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1955
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Rifle
Offender Served only 1 year

Beverage Enforcement Agent Roscoe H. Hargett 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 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 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Florida State Beverage Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Florida State Beverage Department
2
of 5 officers
40% Felonious
FL — Statewide
539
of 1,008 officers
53.5% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roscoe H. Hargett's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Roscoe H. Hargett Compares

Age at End of Watch
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Served only 1 year

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roscoe H. Hargett is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Roscoe H. Hargett was killed by rifle.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location