Hunt County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Tuesday, July 18, 1972
Age: 61
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 23
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 18, 1972
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 25 years
Deputy Sheriff Rayburn Shipp was shot and killed with his own service weapon while he and a state trooper transported three prisoners from the Hunt County Jail to the diagnostic unit in Huntsville.
When they arrived at the diagnostic unit, one of the prisoners reached between the front seats and grabbed Deputy Shipp's service revolver. The prisoner then shot Deputy Shipp in the head and shot the trooper in the eye. The trooper returned fire as he exited his patrol car. After reloading his service weapon he held all three prisoners at gunpoint until backup officers arrived.
Two prisoners, both 18, were charged with murder. The prisoner who murdered Deputy Shipp was charged with assault with intent to murder and attempted escape, and sentenced to 25 years and 15 years, respectively.
Deputy Shipp was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and had served with the Hunt County Sheriff's Office for six years. He was survived by his wife, two children, and two grandchildren.