In the late summer of 1963, a Scottsboro Police Department patrolman by the name of Wayne Boggus, a 41-year-old male, was involved in a fatal altercation. A United States Marine Corps Reserve veteran of World War II, he had been with the department for a brief four months, having previously served three years as a correctional officer.
On that fateful Thursday, August 8th, Patrolman Boggus and a fellow officer were in the process of arresting a man for being drunk and disorderly.
A search of the individual revealed a concealed handgun, which the officers confiscated. However, as they escorted the man towards the patrol car, he managed to produce a second, previously undiscovered. 22 caliber handgun.
Without warning, the man fired, striking Patrolman Boggus in the neck. Despite the mortal wound, the patrolman demonstrated incredible resolve. He was able to draw his own weapon and return fire, striking the suspect. Both men would ultimately succumb to their injuries. The suspect died at the scene, and Patrolman Wayne Boggus passed away from the gunshot wound he sustained. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and two stepchildren.
