Officer Down Memorial Page - http://www.odmp.org

Deputy Sheriff Benjamin Hawkins Berry | Travis County Sheriff's Office, Texas
Travis County Sheriff's Office, Texas

Deputy Sheriff

Benjamin Hawkins Berry

Travis County Sheriff's Office, Texas

End of Watch: Wednesday, February 1, 1967

Biographical Info

Age: 57
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 1, 1967
Weapon Used: Rifle; M-1
Suspect Info: Released after 13 years

Deputy Berry was shot and killed as he and Deputy Walter Eckert attempted to serve a felony warrant on a man for writing bad checks.

The deputies entered the man's residence on Grover Avenue after being told by a neighbor that the man was inside of the home. The suspect opened fire on the deputies with a M-1 carbine, striking Deputy Berry in the chest and Deputy Eckert in the hip and calf. Deputy Eckert returned fire but did not strike the suspect. The man was arrested and sentenced to 99 years in prison but released after serving only 13 years.

Deputy Eckert succumbed to his wounds on June 4, 1975.

Deputy Berry was survived by his son and by his wife, a dispatcher at the Travis County Sheriff's Office. It was his wife who received the first call of "Officer Down" at the Sheriff's office when her husband was shot and killed at the scene. He was buried with full honors.