Billy the Kid Is Killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett
On July 14, 1881, the legendary American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Born Henry McCarty and also known as William H. Bonney, Billy the Kid became one of the most famous figures of the American Old West, gaining a reputation as a skilled gunfighter and a central figure in the Lincoln County War.
After escaping from the Lincoln County jail in April 1881, Billy the Kid became one of New Mexico’s most wanted fugitives. Sheriff Pat Garrett, who had previously known him, led the search to capture him. On the night of July 14, Garrett entered the Maxwell House at Fort Sumner, where Billy was hiding. In the darkness, Billy encountered Garrett and was shot and killed at the age of 21.
The death of Billy the Kid transformed him from a wanted outlaw into a legendary figure of Western folklore. Stories about his life, personality, and exploits grew over time, creating a mix of historical fact and myth. Today, he remains one of the most recognizable characters of the American frontier era, remembered as both a criminal and a symbol of the untamed Old West.
