On a Sunday in Ballyhack, Virginia, the life of Deputy Sheriff Clifford Lewis Johnson, a 50-year-old male, was cut short in a violent confrontation. The day, September 25, 1927, began with a liquor raid on a local home shortly after midnight, an operation that Johnson and several other deputies participated in. The initial search yielded several gallons of whiskey and wine, leading to the arrest of the homeowner.
The deputies returned to the property in the afternoon to continue their
search. Their persistence paid off when they discovered a whiskey still hidden in a wooded area near the home. Following this discovery, Deputy Johnson, along with his son who was also a deputy, were called back to the scene. As the other officers examined the still, Deputy Johnson approached the house once more.
At the residence, he was met by the homeowner's wife, who was armed with a. 32 caliber revolver. She demanded to see a warrant, and a struggle ensued between her and the deputy. The situation escalated dramatically when the woman's brother fired a. 45 caliber rifle at Johnson, but the bullet struck his own sister in the chest. Despite her severe injury, the woman fired her pistol, hitting Deputy Johnson. Another individual at the home also fired a. 38 caliber revolver, striking the deputy as well. Deputy Johnson died at the scene from his injuries.
In the aftermath of the shootout, the homeowner's wife succumbed to her gunshot wound three days later. Her brother, one of the shooters, was tracked to a nearby house by a bloodhound and subsequently arrested. Deputy Johnson had served with the Roanoke County Sheriff's Office for three years and also held the position of county jailer.
