United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Friday, March 20, 1891
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 20, 1891
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Not available
Posseman Rafe Barnwell was shot and killed in Surry County, North Carolina, while he and other officers raided a still.
The officers had seized the still while the operators fled into the surrounding woods. A deputy United States marshal was left outside while the other officers went inside the structure to dismantle it. Moments later one of the subjects shot the deputy marshal from the bushes, wounding him.
Posseman Barnwell exited the structure to assist the wounded officer and was immediately shot and killed.
Posseman Barnwell was survived by his wife and three children.