Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Kentucky Incident Date: Saturday, April 14, 1945 Weapon: Officer's handgun Offender: Shot and killed
Patrolman William Drury succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained in Louisville, Kentucky, two months earlier while taking a U.S. Navy deserter to the federal building at 6th Street and Broadway.
The 21-year-old deserter had been arrested in Jeffersonville and was being taken to the federal building in Louisville to be turned over to federal authorities. As Patrolman Drury exited the patrol car in the building's parking lot the deserter suddenly grabbed his revolver and shot him in the throat at point-blank range before fleeing on foot. He was located in New Albany, Indiana, that evening by Navy Shore Patrol officers and shot and wounded during an exchange of gunfire with them. He died from his wounds two weeks later.
Patrolman Drury had served with the Jeffersonville Police Department for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his six children and nine grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
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- 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.
Patrolman Drury gave the Jeffersonville Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jeffersonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Drury.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman William Albert Drury 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Albert Drury's cause is highlighted.
How William Albert Drury Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Albert Drury is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Albert Drury was killed by officer's handgun.