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Federal Prohibition Agent

Roy Walter Shafer

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition — Washington, DC
Accident
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch June 30, 1930
Age 45
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 60 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 36

Incident

Federal Prohibition Agent Roy Shafer was killed instantly in an automobile crash on U.S. 52, eight miles south of Lebanon, Indiana. On Sunday evening, several agents in three vehicles left the bureau's Columbus, Ohio, office to transport prohibition records to its Chicago, Illinois, office. The agents drove through the night without stopping and, at about 6:00 am, the government vehicle Special Agent Shafer was driving left the roadway and crashed into a ditch before hitting a telephone pole. Special Agent Shafer suffered a broken neck and another agent riding with him was seriously injured but recovered. Special Agent Shafer had served with the Bureau of Prohibition for three years and had previously served as sheriff of Noble County, Ohio. He had been appointed to the office after the murder of Sheriff Charles W. Moore on November 20th, 1923. He was subsequently elected to two additional terms.

Survivors

Special Agent Shafer was survived by his wife, son, daughter, three brothers, two sisters, and father.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Federal Prohibition Agent Shafer gave the United States Department of the Treasury 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Shafer.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtirsbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 30, 1930
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Roy is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1930, 113 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Roy was 45. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Roy had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition has 37 officers remembered here, Roy among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Federal Prohibition Agent Roy Walter Shafer

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition · End of Watch June 30, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-E

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