Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Brown and Night Marshal Thomas Stephens were shot and killed after responding to a report that several men were creating a disturbance in front of a church they were using for a lodge meeting.
When Deputy Brown and Marshal Stephens attempted to place a man under arrest, his father drove up and opened fire killing both officers. Both officers managed to return fire killing four trouble makers, three who were their killer's sons. Vigilantes arrived on the scene and burned the church to the ground. They threw two rioters into the fire killing both. The shooting deaths of these two officers sparked riots in the town that resulted in several other people being killed and several buildings and homes burned in Millin. Another son of the killer was lynched. The incident became know as one of the "Red Summer Riots", one of 25 that occurred in the U.S. During 1919. They occurred also in Washington, D.C., Knoxville, Tennessee, Longview, Texas, Phillips County, Arkansas, Omaha, Nebraska, and most dramatically Chicago.
The gunman was arrested for the murder of both officers. He was convicted of Deputy Brown's murder and sentenced to death. He was awarded a new trial and acquitted. A third trial resulted in an acquittal for the murder of Marshal Stephens. He was released from jail on May 30, 1923.
Deputy Brown had served with the agency for 8 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-0DBE1BCB- 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.
Deputy Brown gave the Jenkins County Sheriff's Office 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Millen community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Brown.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Walter Clifford Brown 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Jenkins County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Clifford Brown's cause is highlighted.
How Walter Clifford Brown Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Clifford Brown is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Jenkins County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
