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Henry Oats
Agency patch
Police Officer

Henry Oats

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch February 6, 1925
Age 54
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 112 · Column 4 · Line 5 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 51

Incident

Police Officer Henry Oats was shot and killed while transporting three prisoners to jail in Oklahoma. The man and two women, suspected members of the Poe/Hart Gang, had just been arrested after being located in a suspected stolen car. As Officer Oats drove the three to jail, with one suspect in the front seat, the suspect attempted to push Officer Oats out of the car and then shot Officer Oats in the stomach with a concealed weapon. The suspect, an escaped convict who was serving 25 years for bank robbery, then fled but was apprehended and sentenced to life in prison. He escaped again in 1926. It is believed he died in 1977 in the state of Ohio under an alias. Officer Oats had served in law enforcement with several different agencies for 17 years, including the Tupelo Police Department and Centrahoma Police Department in Oklahoma.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and step-daughter.

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.
Police Officer Oats gave the United States Department of the Interior 17 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Oats.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdibiaojsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 6, 1925
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Henry is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1925, 208 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Henry was 54. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Henry had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services has 52 officers remembered here, Henry among them.

Across the years

Police Officer Henry Oats

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services · End of Watch February 6, 1925

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-W

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