Joe Byrne was at Stringybark Creek with the Kelly brothers and Steve Hart on 26 October, 1878, when they found four police officers on their trail, and shot three of them dead. Joe Byrne shot dead Trooper Scanlon, and was wearing Scanlon's ring at the time of his death. The gang were made outlaws on 15 November 1878, which meant they could be legally killed by anyone at any time. A reward of £2000 (about AU$754,000 in 2008) was offered for them, dead or alive.