Special Agent Raymond L. Ezzell, a 30-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, was shot and killed in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 27, 1931. He was working undercover for the Bureau of Prohibition, part of the United States Department of Justice, when he attempted to arrest Robert Whitehead, a reputed bootlegger.
At around 8:30 p.m., Agent Ezzell and his partner, Joel Boyd, were waiting for Whitehead to arrive with a load of liquor.
When Whitehead arrived, the agents identified themselves and attempted to place him under arrest. Whitehead, however, used a concealed .32 caliber pistol to shoot Agent Ezzell in the left hand. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Agent Ezzell was seriously wounded, and Whitehead was killed. Despite being rushed to Harris Clinic Hospital, Agent Ezzell succumbed to his injuries at 10:10 p.m.
The incident was a tragic outcome of a routine enforcement operation aimed at curbing illegal liquor trade during the Prohibition era. Agent Ezzell had joined the Bureau of Prohibition on October 1, 1930, and had been serving as a federal prohibition officer for about 10 months before his death. He was survived by his wife and daughter, and he was reportedly buried in Buckholts, Milam County.
The case did not lead to any further arrests or litigations, as the suspect, Robert Whitehead, died at the scene. The incident remains a somber reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers during the Prohibition era.
