Chief of Police Amos Morris, Mannington Police Department, West Virginia

Chief of Police Amos Morris

Mannington Police Department, West Virginia

End of Watch Saturday, February 28, 1959

Amos Morris

Chief Amos Morris was shot and killed while transporting two suspects to the Fairmont Jail. The couple that he had arrested included a runaway female and a male wanted for writing bad checks. He was transporting the two to Fairmont because Mannington did not have a jail. Additionally, Chief Morris only carried his handgun on Saturday nights since the crime rate was so low in Mannington.

During the transport the male suspect pulled a .32 caliber handgun from his pocket and ordered him to pull over. Chief Morris told the man not to do anything he would be sorry as the female suspect begged the suspect to put the gun down. The suspect then shot Chief Morris several times. The suspects fled the scene but the female suspect later fled from the male suspect and turned herself in. The male suspect fled to North Carolina where he committed suicide as police closed in on him.

Chief Morris had been in law enforcement for 20 years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons.

Bio

Age 49
Tour 20 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber
Offender Committed suicide

Most Recent Reflection

View all 15 Reflections

I never got to know my grandfather, It is said "you can't miss what you never had" but from all I know of him' I missed a lot. My dad always had a difficult time talking about his dad and I think he never got over the loss.

Jan Morris
Granddaughter

February 28, 2017