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Officer

Walter W. Stansbury

Beaumont Police Department — Beaumont, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch July 23, 1903
Age 33
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 46 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 20

Incident

Officer Walter Stansbury was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance.

The male subject had shot his wife the previous year and was known by the police as a desperate character. Around 11:00 a.m., neighbors called the police about a family disturbance at the man's house. When an officer arrived, the man shot at him with a Winchester rifle. The officer retreated to safety and waited for more officers to arrive. Officer Walter Stansbury lived nearby and responded to the shooting. As he approached the house, the man shot the officer once in the chest, mortally wounding him.

Officer Stansbury was taken to the hospital and died at 4:50 p.m.

The man fled the scene but was located later by the sheriff and a deputy on horseback. He refused to surrender, so the sheriff developed a ruse and told him that the officer was not seriously wounded and that the man could make bail if he returned to town. The sheriff and deputy rode in front of the man who remained armed. The man stopped along the way at a saloon and had four shots of whiskey. As the parties entered downtown, a crowd had gathered. The man allegedly aimed his gun at the sheriff as the sheriff tried to get behind him. The sheriff then shot him in the right arm and caused him to be unable to effectively operate his rifle. Allegedly, the sheriff fired five times, and the man fired four times.

The man fled down a city street with a crowd of citizens firing at him. He fell mortally wounded, and several people in the crowd fired more rounds into his body.

Officer Stansbury had served with the Beaumont Police Department for two years.

He was buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. The police force raised the funds to place a marker on his grave.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Officer Stansbury gave the Beaumont Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Beaumont community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Stansbury.

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

Agency

Department Beaumont Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Beaumont, Jefferson County, TX
Platform Identity bpd.jefferson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1903
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Rifle; Winchester

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Walter is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1903, 103 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 50th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Walter was 33. 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. Walter had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 rifle; winchester, in 0.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Beaumont Police Department has 21 officers remembered here, Walter among them.

Across the years

Officer Walter W. Stansbury

Beaumont Police Department · End of Watch July 23, 1903

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-W

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