La Salle County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Sunday, December 26, 1886
Age:
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 26, 1886
Weapon Used: Rifle; Winchester
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Sheriff Charles McKinney was shot and killed in an assassination by a man who lost to him in the election for Sheriff.
The suspect had planned the assassination for several years and had a woman make a false report that her daughter had been raped. When Sheriff McKinney arrived he was talking with the suspect and another man when the suspect suddenly shot Sheriff McKinney in the head with a Winchester rifle. The two men also shot at a deputy who was with Sheriff McKinney but only wounded him because his horse was frightened and bolted.
The two suspects were tracked down by the Texas Rangers and one was shot and killed. The second escaped but later surrendered. That suspect was sentenced to death and hung on August 23, 1889.
Sheriff McKinney had served as a Texas Ranger for 10 years and had served as the sheriff of LaSalle County for three years.