Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable William Brewer was shot and killed from ambush while attending a church service at the Royal Oak Church at Sturgeon.
Earlier in the day, he had arrested two men who were causing a disturbance at a singing school near Blake. Once the singing school finished he took the men to jail at Booneville and he then returned home. While attending church services that evening a subject fired a .38 caliber handgun through a church window, striking Constable Brewer in the head.
Constable Brewer was a U.S. Army veteran. He was survived by his wife, four children, parents, and his sister. His sister and her family were visiting from California and were in the church with his family when the shooting occurred.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, four children, parents, and his sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-91ED4732- 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.
Constable Brewer served with the Owsley County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Booneville 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
William Harvey Brewer served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Constable William Harvey Brewer 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 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 Harvey Brewer's cause is highlighted.
How William Harvey Brewer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Harvey Brewer is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Harvey Brewer was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.