Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Henry Privett was shot and killed with his own service weapon by a prisoner who was attempting to escape the Fulton County Jail at 1035 Jefferson Street NW.
He was sitting in an office completing paperwork when the prisoner entered, grabbed Deputy Privett's gun he noticed in a drawer, and shot him in the arm and chest. Deputy Privett was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.
The suspect, 31, serving a 10 year sentence for armed robbery, had been transferred from a state prison camp to the Fulton County Jail where he was made a trustee, and assigned to do office work. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. On May 28, 1969, he escaped from the state prison and captured later that day.
Deputy Privett was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and had served with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-B5C915D3- 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 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.
Deputy Sheriff Privett gave the Fulton County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Henry Eugene Privett served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Henry Eugene Privett 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 Fulton County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry Eugene Privett's cause is highlighted.
How Henry Eugene Privett Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Eugene Privett is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Fulton County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
