Incident
City Marshal Steve Young was shot and killed near the Owsley County Courthouse at 5:10 pm by a man whom he had previously arrested for a liquor violation and was under indictment as a result.
The county jailer observed the man walking past the courthouse carrying a shotgun. Approximately two minutes later the man approached Marshal Young and shot him four times without saying a word.
After two trials ending with hung juries, the man, 27, was convicted of Marshal Young's murder and sentenced to life in prison on September 16, 1948.
Marshal Young had served with the Booneville Police Department for one year.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-0B6FEAD3- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 9, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You barely got started.
City Marshal Young gave the Booneville Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Booneville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Young.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
City Marshal Steve Young is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.
In KY, 756 of 984 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Steve Young's cause is highlighted.
How Steve Young Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Steve Young is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Steve Young was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Where the Name Is Cut
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Booneville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.