Billy the Kid Shot Dead: Pat Garrett Ends the Legend
Sheriff Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid in a darkened bedroom at Fort Sumner, ending the short life of the American West's most notorious young outlaw. William Bonney had killed at least four men by the age of 21 and escaped from custody twice, including a daring jailbreak just months before his death. The legend that grew around him turned a petty cattle rustler into an enduring symbol of frontier rebellion.
July 14, 1881
145 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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