Steven K. Gardner

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol — Jackson, MS

Felonious

End of Watch March 23, 1984

Age 30

Tour of Duty 4 mo

Badge M-11

The Vigil Panel 128 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 27

Incident

Trooper Steven Gardner was shot and killed by a suspect he had arrested earlier in the night. The suspect bonded out of jail, changed cars, and began searching for Trooper Gardner. After several hours, the suspect located Trooper Gardner parked on the side of Highway 51 near Hazelhurst doing paperwork. At 10:45 p.m., The suspect then intentionally struck Trooper Gardner's patrol car. Trooper Gardner notified dispatch he had been involved in an accident and was checking on the other driver. As he approached the car, he was shot in the chest. The round struck him in between the panels of his vest. As he fell to the ground, he was able to return fire and kill the suspect. The ensuing investigation determined that the suspect had searched for Trooper Gardner for most of the night and that Trooper Gardner did not immediately recognize him because he had switched cars. Trooper Gardner had served with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol for four months. He was survived by his parents. A portion of United States Highway 51 South of Hazlehurst has been dedicated to Trooper Gardner.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MS-83BAC503
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.
Trooper Gardner served with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Gardner.

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

Agency

Department Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol

Location Jackson, MS

Platform Identity mdpsmhp.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 23, 1984

Tour of Duty 4 mo

Age 30

Badge Number M-11

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Trooper Steven K. Gardner 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol, 10 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.7% of this agency's fallen.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol

of 28 officers

35.7% Felonious

MS — Statewide

242

of 349 officers

69.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious