Police Officer James Bruce Irby, Houston Police Department, Texas

Police Officer James Bruce Irby

Houston Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Wednesday, June 27, 1990

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James Bruce Irby

Officer James Irby was shot and killed when he stopped a car for a minor traffic violation near the intersection of Airline Drive and Lyerly Street.

As he was talking with the driver, the passenger exited the vehicle and shot Officer Irby five times with a .357 handgun.

The suspect was convicted of Officer Irby's murder and subsequently sentenced to death. He was executed by lethal injestion on April 21, 2022. Now 78, he was Texas' oldest death row inmate.

Officer Irby had served 17 years with the Houston Police Department. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Bio

Age 37
Tour 17 years
Badge 189

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .357 caliber
Offender Executed in 2022

traffic stop

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Ofc Irby. I was 15 years old in Houston and had the life goal of becoming an HPD officer at the time of your end of watch. I remember the ABC 13 news cast that day and it stuck with me till this day. I ended up becoming a firefighter in Pflugerville, and ran into your son who was a police officer. I remember looking at his name badge and saying “ I remember as a kid there was an officer in Houston…..”. His response “that was my dad”. I will never forget that moment. It was so surreal. I feel that I finally met you. RIP

R McGrew
Pflugerville Fire Dept

January 3, 2025