Denison Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, December 25, 1882
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 25, 1882
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer Absalom McCarty was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man at the intersection of Austin Street and Crawford Street.
The man he was attempting to arrest was causing a disturbance and brandishing a pistol while threatening to shoot. When Officer McCarty arrived at the location, the subject told him to put his hands up. The subject then shot him when he refused to do so.
The subject fled to Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). It is not known if he was ever captured.
His cousin, Private Andrew McCarty, was shot and killed in the line duty on June 23rd, 1861, while serving with the Texas Rangers.
Officer McCarty was a Confederate veteran of the Civil War. He had served in law enforcement in Texas for at least four years.