Royce Melvin Anderson
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Royce Melvin Anderson

Accident
End of Watch October 26, 1981
Age 29
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 479
The Vigil Panel 125 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Royce Anderson succumbed to an inadvertent gunshot wound sustained the previous night while making a felony arrest at 9:45 pm. He and his partner had responded to a truck stop on the North Freeway for a stabbing. After interviewing the victim they obtained a description of the suspect and his truck. The deputies located the vehicle and conducted a felony stop near in the 9400 block of the North Freeway. As Deputy Anderson re-holstered his weapon it discharged, striking him in the upper leg and severing all of his major arteries. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to the wound at 5:05 am the following morning. Deputy Anderson had served with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtqpgtyfmc2efp523f09r
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Royce. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Anderson gave the Harris County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Anderson.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hcso.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 26, 1981
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 479
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

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

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1981, 63 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 68th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Royce was 29. 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. Royce 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

October holds 9.1% 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. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 0.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Harris County Sheriff's Office has 56 officers remembered here, Royce among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff Royce Melvin Anderson

Harris County Sheriff's Office · End of Watch October 26, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-W

↑