Roll of Honor
Atha Carter
Incident
Federal Prohibition Agent Carter died from a gunshot received while trying to apprehend two still operators in Palisade, Nevada. Agent Carter and another officer had been driven to Palisade to take into custody two still operators on a ranch shortly before midnight on Tuesday, December 19th, 1922. The officers ordered the moonshiners to put up their hands and one of the criminals fired in their direction, felling Agent Carter. The man who drove the officers to the scene saw Agent Carter fall and thinking both officers would be killed, fled. The officers returned fire and the criminals escaped, though one of their horses was killed. Agent Carter was without medical aid for over eight hours as the officer walked four miles to the cabin of the driver, which was empty and then ten miles into Palisade. Agent Carter's face and hands were frostbitten from the long wait in the snow. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after 2:00 a.m. on December 24th, 1922. The two suspects were apprehended near the scene, but not until they destroyed the still, throwing pieces in the river. Pigs had been driven over the spot where the shooting occurred in order to obliterate the tracks; all shells had been picked up; and the carcass of the dead horse cut upon so that pigs might devour it. Agent Carter had served as a deputy sheriff in Washoe County in Reno, Nevada from 1918-1921 and served 11 months as a prohibition agent.
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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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Carter gave the United States Department of the Treasury 3 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Carter.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Federal Prohibition Agent Atha Carter 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 97,772 officers honored here.
In DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit, 47 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 79.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Atha Carter's cause is highlighted.
How Atha Carter Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Atha Carter is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Atha Carter was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
58 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
