Police Officer Amos Cross, Pensacola Police Department, Florida

Police Officer Amos Cross

Pensacola Police Department, Florida

End of Watch Friday, September 12, 1980

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Amos Cross

Police Officer Amos Cross was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance on North D Street in Pensacola around 7:00 p.m.

He was shot in the face with a shotgun by a 19-year-old man as he approached the door. The suspect exchanged gunfire with other officers who shot and wounded him and then took him into custody. One officer was shot in the wrist and leg by the suspect. When officers went into the backyard, they found his father lying on the ground, dead from a shotgun blast fired by his son.

The suspect was declared insane and sent to a mental institution. In 1983, he was deemed sane. A year later, he was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to two life terms to be served consecutively. He will be eligible for parole in 2033. As of November 25, 2020, he was in prison.

Officer Cross was a United States Air Force Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Pensacola Police Department for 17 months. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Bio

Age 39
Tour 1 year, 5 months
Badge 174
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun
Offender Sentenced to life

domestic

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To my Uncle Amos Cross,
I remember the day when they said you passed away and although I was just a teenager I can still remember it so vividly. I wondered why did someone think that they had the right to take someone else's life and especially the life of my Uncle! My Uncle was a kind man, soft spoken and gentle from what I remembered, didn't get to spend much time with him but from what I spent it was memorable. My cousins loved their dad and my Aunt Margaret loved him even more, she never married again. Now my cousins have lost the two very special people in their lives and now to add their brother as well. Uncle Amos you will never be forgotten for you hard work and dedication, because you considered others as you considered yourself because you were not selfish and I thank you for being my Uncle, you will never be forgotten.

Judy Hyatt
Niece

January 22, 2026