Senior Patrol Inspector Robert William Kelsay

Robert William Kelsay

Senior Patrol Inspector Robert Kelsay was shot and killed in Texas when he encountered several smugglers along the banks of the Rio Grande River.

He and another inspector had obtained a tip the smugglers would be placing contraband liquor at a certain location along the river. The inspectors went to the location, and as they made there way through the brush, were ambushed by one of the smugglers. Despite being mortally wounded, Inspector Kelsay returned fire and fatally wounded the man as he fled back into Mexico. The man's body was recovered by Mexican customs officers. Three other smugglers were also shot during the shoot out, one of them fatally.

Inspector Kelsay had served with the United States Border Patrol for 3-1/2 years. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in Denton, Texas.