Detention Officer Casey Ryan Harmon
Lee County Sheriff's Department
Mississippi
End of Watch: Monday, March 2, 1998

Biographical Info
Age: 20
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Monday, March 2, 1998
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life + 75 years

Deputy Jailer Harmon was shot and killed by a 16-year-old detainee, at the Lee County Juvenile Detention Center, who was about to be released to his stepfather for a shoplifting charge. The suspect was between two locked doors when Deputy Harmon opened one of the doors in anticipation of the stepfather's arrival. After he turned his back the suspect shot him in the back of the head once with a small handgun he had managed to conceal in his shoe. The suspect then took Deputy Harmon's keys and released another juvenile prisoner and took Deputy Harmon's weapon, which was kept in a lock box while he was on duty. The two suspects then left the facility and called another juvenile to come pick them up. They were later stopped in a nearby county and taken into custody. Deputy Harmon had been with the department for 3 months, and had been with a neighboring agency as a part time patrol deputy for one year. He is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers.