Deputy Sheriff

Arthur Owens Jr.

Cardiac
End of Watch June 3, 1975
Age 50
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Owens suffered a fatal heart attack moments after he and the sheriff engaged in a shootout with a suspect wanted for shooting into his neighbor's home. Four months earlier the suspect shot and wounded another deputy who had attempted to arrest him for a previous shooting. As Deputy Owens and the sheriff approached the man he opened fire on them. The deputies returned fire and chased the man a short distance before catching him. A brief struggle ensued before they were able to subdue him. The suspect was placed in their car as Deputy Owens walked back to speak with the original complainant. He had just walked across a short bridge leading to the man's home when he collapsed. Deputy Owens had served with the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office for 7 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Owens gave the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Vansant community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Owens.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Vansant, Buchanan County, VA
Platform Identity bcso.buchanan.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 3, 1975
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Arthur is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1975, 19 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 12th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Arthur was 50. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Arthur had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Tuesdays: 13.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Buchanan County Sheriff's Office has 6 officers remembered here, Arthur among them.

Deputy Sheriff Arthur Owens Jr.

Buchanan County Sheriff's Office · End of Watch June 3, 1975

Where the Name Is Cut

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