Bay County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Saturday, November 17, 1917
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 17, 1917
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Pardoned by the governor in 1921
Deputy Sheriff Charles Scott was shot and killed with his own weapon after being attacked in Betts, Florida.
He was standing on a train depot platform near the present-day Highway 231 overpass when a man appeared and walked past him several times. At one point the man stopped and began a verbal argument with Deputy Scott. The suspect then grabbed Deputy Scott's revolver from its holster, struck him in the face with it, and then shot him in the abdomen. Deputy Scott succumbed to his wounds several minutes later.
The suspect was apprehended and charged with murder. He was sentenced to life in prison but was pardoned by the Governor in 1921.
Three years prior, Deputy Scott had served as interim Bay County sheriff and county judge. Deputy Scott was Bay County's first officer killed in the line of duty. He was survived by four children.