This is National Police Week, a week to pause and honor law enforcement officers who have paid the ultimate price for our communities.
As he talked to the three people in the vehicle, one of them said that he had to use the bathroom. Deputy Barnes told the man to step to the edge of the woods but to stay where he could still see him.
Like the other two distracted Deputy Barnes, the first man managed to sneak back to the car and get a rifle. The three overpowered Deputy Barnes put him on his knees and then shot him execution-style. The suspects then stole his patrol car. Deputy Barnes was found by another deputy who responded to the scene after he failed to answer his radio.
One of the suspects was shot and killed in a shootout with officers the following day. The other two men were arrested and sentenced to prison.