Roll of Honor
Incident
Guard Powhatan Bass was accidentally shot and killed by other guards who were firing a machine gun at a truck carrying eight escaping convicts from the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond, Virginia.
During an escape attempt, the eight convicts suddenly attacked Guard Bass and another guard in the prison yard. They tied them up and put them in the back of a nearby truck. The eight prisoners then got into the truck and sped towards the prison gate.
The gate guards, not knowing that two guards were held hostage inside the truck, opened fire. Five of the convicts were shot and wounded. Guard Bass was mortally wounded and the other guard was wounded. The convicts were all taken into custody and charged with murder in connection with Guard Bass' death.
Guard Bass was a Spanish-American War veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-21D524FB- 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.
Guard Bass served with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. 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
Powhatan Dance Bass served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Guard Powhatan Dance Bass is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Virginia Department of Corrections, 5 of 16 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Powhatan Dance Bass's cause is highlighted.
How Powhatan Dance Bass Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Powhatan Dance Bass is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
15 officers from Virginia Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
