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Deputy Sheriff William J. Propst | Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina
Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

Deputy Sheriff

William J. Propst

Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

End of Watch: Friday, November 17, 1922

Biographical Info

Age: 65
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 17, 1922
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 3 years

Deputy Sheriff William Propst was shot and killed while he and two Kannapolis patrolmen attempted to arrest a man who had shot and wounded the police chief earlier in the evening.

The earlier shooting had occurred when the police chief observed the suspect enter a saloon with another man and draw his gun. The suspect shot the chief in the arm and hip when he went inside to arrest him.

Deputy Propst and the two patrolmen located the suspect in West Kannapolis and attempted to arrest him. The man opened fire on the officers, striking all three men. Deputy Propst was fatally wounded in the exchange.

The suspect was eventually apprehended. He was convicted of murdering Deputy Propst but sentenced to only three years at hard labor in the state penitentiary.