In the late spring of 1918, a dedicated lawman in Athens, Alabama, met a violent and untimely end. Chief Deputy James Henry Eubank, a 36-year-old male officer with the Limestone County Sheriff's Office, was killed in the line of duty on Thursday, June 13, 1918. He had served the department for three years.
The fatal encounter occurred five miles west of Athens as Chief Deputy Eubank was actively searching for a fugitive.
Acting on a report that the suspect might be concealed within a particular house, Eubank entered the residence to investigate. As he stepped inside, the suspect fired a shotgun at point-blank range, striking the right side of the deputy's chest. The wound proved to be instantly fatal.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a swift response was launched by fellow law enforcement officers. The suspect responsible for Chief Deputy Eubank's death was tracked down by other deputies. In the ensuing confrontation, the suspect was shot and killed, bringing a final and decisive end to the search. Chief Deputy Eubank was survived by his wife and two children.
