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Police Officer

William Clarence Fuston

Brownwood Police Department — Brownwood, TX

Felonious

End of Watch February 3, 1939

Age 27

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 75 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Officer Fuston and two other officers went to a local motel to search for an escaped prisoner. When they confronted the suspect he denied he was the man they were looking for and reached for identification papers, instead he drew a gun and shot Officer Fuston four times, killing him. The other officers returned fire and wounded the suspect, who escaped. He was apprehended the next day in Dublin, Texas.

The 26-year-old suspect hanged himself in his jail cell three days later.

Officer Fuston was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Officer Fuston was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-5FE70AD3
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Fuston served with the Brownwood Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Brownwood community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Fuston.

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

Agency

Department Brownwood Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Brownwood, Brown County, TX

Platform Identity bpd.brown.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 3, 1939

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Police Officer William Clarence Fuston is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,586 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.4 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

Brownwood Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,460

of 2,421 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,559

of 32,586 officers

53.9% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Clarence Fuston's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,559 (53.9%)

Accident

10,094 (31%)

Illness

3,037 (9.3%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

334 (1%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

How William Clarence Fuston Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

0.2

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Clarence Fuston is highlighted in Feb.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Clarence Fuston was killed by handgun; revolver.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909