Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Gale Stauffer was shot and killed as he and two other officers responded to a bank robbery on South Gloster Street, near the intersection with Main Street, at approximately 3:00 pm.
As the officers approached the suspect, who was stopped in traffic at a railroad crossing, the man opened fire on them at close range. Sergeant Stauffer was shot and killed and a second officer was critically wounded before the man fled in a vehicle.
A citizen used one of the officers' radios to alert dispatchers that the officers had been shot. The wounded officer was transported to a local hospital in guarded condition.
Investigation linked the suspect to a bank robbery earlier that morning in Atlanta, Georgia. On Saturday, December 28th, the suspect was shot and killed after robbing another bank in Phoenix, Arizona, and opening fire on a responding officer. As the suspect shot at the officer a responding detective approached from the side and fatally shot him.
Sergeant Stauffer was a combat veteran of the Louisiana Army National Guard. He had served with the Tupelo Police Department for eight years and was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant. He had previously served with the Lee County Sheriff's Office for one year.
Sergeant Stauffer is survived by his wife and two young children.
Survivors
Sergeant Stauffer is survived by his wife and two young children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-C2D0D6C9- 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.
Sergeant Stauffer gave the Tupelo Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tupelo 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
Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. served in the Army (2004â2005) before joining law enforcement.
Sergeant Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. was killed by gun; unknown type.