Robert Peter Gilmore
Agency patch
Sheriff

Robert Peter Gilmore

Felonious
End of Watch October 29, 1926
Age 63
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 52 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sheriff Robert Gilmore and Special Officer John MacLeod, of the Montana-Crow Indian Reservation Police Department, were shot and killed when they went to arrest a transient. The man was the suspect in several burglaries in the county and wanted for disturbing the peace on the reservation. The officers told him the charges would be dropped if he left town. The officers went to his shack to arrest him after he failed to leave town. They were confronted by the man with a .22 caliber rifle and the man opened fire, fatally wounding Sheriff Gilmore in the neck. The suspect then wounded the undersheriff before barricading himself in his shack. As Officer MacLeod attempted to kick in the back door he was shot in the groin. The round struck an artery and Officer MacLeod bled to death. Deputies from Yellowstone County responded to the scene and set the house on fire. As the man fled he was shot and killed by the crowd.

Survivors

Sheriff Gilmore had been with the agency or 11 years and was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-C0CC4C3D
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.
Sheriff Gilmore gave the Big Horn County Sheriff's Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hardin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Gilmore.

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

Agency

Location Hardin, MT
Platform Identity bhcso.bighorn.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 29, 1926
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 63
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle; .22 caliber
Offender Shot and killed

Sheriff Robert Peter Gilmore 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Big Horn County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Big Horn County Sheriff's Department
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
MT — Statewide
93
of 142 officers
65.5% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Peter Gilmore's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Robert Peter Gilmore Compares

Age at End of Watch
63
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Peter Gilmore is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Peter Gilmore was killed by rifle; .22 caliber.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Big Horn County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.