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Jess Sosbee
Agency patch
Officer

Jess Sosbee

Oklahoma City Police Department — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
United States flag Oklahoma flag
End of Watch December 2, 1922
Age 34
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 32

Incident

Officer Jess Sosbee and his partner were ambushed in the 400 block of East Grand Street by two men. Officer Sosbee suffered fatal gunshot wounds and died the next day. His partner suffered a gunshot wound but survived. Two men were arrested and charged with Officer Sosbee's murder. They stated that they ambushed the officers because they wanted to kill a police officer. Both were convicted of manslaughter. One of the subjects was sentenced to five years in prison and the 25-year-old killer was sentenced to eight years in prison. In 1935 the Jess Sosbee's killer beat his girl friend to death in Oklahoma City. A year later he was apprehended in Pasadena, California. He was returned to Oklahoma, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. In 1939 he was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate.

Survivors

Officer Sosbee was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Department Oklahoma City Police Department
Type Other
Location Oklahoma City, Canadian County, OK
Platform Identity opd.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 2, 1922
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Jess is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 228 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 3rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Jess was 34. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma City Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, Jess among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Jess Sosbee

Oklahoma City Police Department · End of Watch December 2, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 47-W

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