May 6, 2021
By News Director Jared Atha
After over a hundred years since his passing, a former Washita County Sheriff’s Deputy will have his name added to an Oklahoma memorial.
In fact, the names of 11 law enforcement officers and one canine partner who died in the line of duty in Oklahoma will be dedicated on the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial.
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is the oldest state memorial honoring fallen officers in the United States and was dedicated May 15, 1969.
Among the 11 will be Jesse Whitfield Morris, a former Washita County Deputy Sheriff.
Morris died on February 3, 1910 from complications from a gunshot wound to his lungs on December 8, 1900 while attempting to arrest three men who were causing a disturbance. In fact, the disturbance would take place in Mountain View – in neighboring Kiowa County.
According to a memorial website dedicated to downed officers, Deputy Morris along with another deputy had gone to a home in the northwest part of town after receiving reports of a disturbance. When they arrived at the home they were fired upon and the three men ran out of the house. The deputies intercepted them and de-escalated the situation as they came up with a plan to arrest the men, who were armed and had their hands on their guns. The deputies accompanied the men in a friendly manner to a nearby saloon where they attempted to make the arrest.
A shootout ensued in which Deputy Morris was shot in the torso and suffered a wound to his lung. The other deputy was wounded in the leg. The men were arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill.
Others being memorialized include Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Jeffery Wade Sewell, who also had western Oklahoma ties. Sewell passed away on September 5, 2020 due to complications created by Covid-19.
The officers’ names will be added to the memorial during the 53rd Annual Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Service on Friday.
