Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Bernard F. Kearns

Holt County Sheriff's Office — O'Neill, NE

Felonious

End of Watch March 28, 1881

Age 30

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Bernard Kearns was shot and killed after breaking up a disturbance being caused by a group of cowboys.

One of the men was able to get a friend to accompany him to confront the sheriff later in the day. When they did so, the friend opened fire on Sheriff Kearns, killing him.

Despite being mortally wounded, Sheriff Kearns returned fire, but accidentally wounded a deputy who was coming to his aid.

The suspect was acquitted of Sheriff Kearns' murder.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-0261D902
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

145 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Kearns served with the Holt County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the O'Neill community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Holt County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location O'Neill, Holt County, NE

Platform Identity hcso.holt.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 28, 1881

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Sheriff Bernard F. Kearns 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 64.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Holt County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bernard F. Kearns's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Bernard F. Kearns Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bernard F. Kearns is highlighted in Mar.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Bernard F. Kearns was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Holt County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.