Gilbert C. Gallagher

Whitman County Sheriff's Department — Colfax, WA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 17, 1949

Age 28

Tour of Duty 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 85 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Gilbert Gallagher, Sheriff Levi Parnell, and Officer Elbert Claar of the Pullman Police Department were shot by a suspect after the man fought with another man. Officer Claar had spotted the man at a filling station and attempted to arrest him in Pullman, Washington. As Officer Claar returned to his car to retrieve his nightstick, the man opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun, striking Officer Claar five times. The suspect then drove to his house and grabbed a rifle with a scope before heading to a nearby hill. Deputy Gallagher responded to the residence and exited his cruiser. As he looked toward the house, the suspect shot him in the back and fired at another deputy who was able to get cover. The suspect then moved to another part of the hill near a college campus, where he shot and killed a civilian who was looking for him. Sheriff Parnell and another deputy also responded to the scene, and as Sheriff Parnell exited his cruiser, he was shot once in the chest by the suspect. The suspect was finally surrounded and found hiding in bushes by a group of officers and citizens who opened fire, fatally wounding him. Deputy Gallagher was a United States Army WWII veteran and served with the Whitman County Sheriff's Department for two months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-010B796D
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.
Deputy Sheriff Gallagher served with the Whitman County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Colfax community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Whitman County Sheriff's Department

Location Colfax, WA

Platform Identity wcso.whitman.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 17, 1949

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

Gilbert C. Gallagher served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Gilbert C. Gallagher 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 WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Whitman County Sheriff's Department, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Whitman County Sheriff's Department

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 339 officers

55.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious