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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Most Recent Reflection

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Heavenly Father, I come before You today grieved in heart over the divisions in our country; the United States of America. I grieve for every life lost to violence, regardless of color or creed. And I especially grieve this day over the senseless deaths of America’s Peace Officers whose sworn duty is to protect us from harm. Please grant comfort and hope to their families. I know from the Holy Scriptures in Romans 13 that Peace Officers have a sacred task, to enforce laws that protect the innocent and punish the guilty. I pray that You will protect them as they serve us. Give them wisdom, discernment, and a deep desire to serve You. Please surround every Peace Officer in our nation, the United States of America, with battalions of warring angels to protect them from harm. I stand in the powerful and mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ against every work of Satan intended to inflict injury and death on our Protectors. May Satan’s power be thwarted, in Your mighty and holy name, and his plans exposed by Your Light. In the mighty and holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Redeemer, and the Mediator between us, Heavenly Father, in prayer, and by His authority, I pray! Amen.

Please find Encouragement, Comfort, Support, and Hope from God's Word:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
[Matthew 5:9 ESV];

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." [Psalm 23:4 ESV];

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
[John 15:13 ESV];

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." [Matthew 5:4 ESV];

"And he [Jesus] said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." [Luke 23:43 ESV], and;

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16 ESV].

Chaplain Steven R. Closs, DDiv, MSBS, NACM, NCCA
Ordained Independent NACM Minister
The Badge 183 Peacemakers Prayer Ministry
Member: Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers - USA