Fish and Game Patrol Captain

Department of Fish and Wildlife

9/20/1958

Special Act Award (Gold)

On September 20, 1958, Captain Henry Shebley was on deer patrol in the Laguna Mountains. During the evening, Captain Shebley was in his camp when he heard a muffled shot. Approximately ten minutes later, another shot was heard. He was able to get a bearing on the direction from the sound which was another campground approximately five hundred yards away. Captain Shebley was not in full uniform at the time but put on his uniform hat and sidearm and proceeded to the campground where the shooting occurred. Upon his arrival he found Lt. Gillis, a vacationing Los Angeles County Sheriff, mortally wounded and his wife attending him. The assailant was standing approximately twenty feet away from the victim and his wife and was pointing a high powered rifle at them. As Captain Shebley arrived, the assailant pointed the rifle at the captain’s stomach and threatened him. The captain, displaying utmost courage, started talking to the assailant and attempted to convince him that he was an officer of the law and wanted to help him. Despite threats of harm and demands to stay away, the captain approached the assailant close enough to lunge forward, seize the rifle, and subdue him. There is a good possibility that there would have been further bloodshed had it not been for the courage and quick thinking of Captain Shebley. Another camper in the area, in fear for the safety of his wife and children, was getting into position to shoot the assailant as Captain Shebley arrived on the scene.