Roll of Honor

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City Marshal

David Gordon

Columbus Police Department — Columbus, KS

Felonious

End of Watch March 16, 1888

Age 44

The Vigil Panel 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

City Marshal David Gordon was shot and killed by two brothers he was attempting to arrest for breaking into and looting the Gulf Depot.

Both brothers were convicted of Marshal Gordon's murder and sentenced to life in prison. On September 10, 1896, one of the brothers was shot and killed when he attempted to escape from Leavenworth Penitentiary.

Rest in peace City Marshal Gordon.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis March 14th, 2019

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-D076170F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

138 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Gordon served with the Columbus Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Columbus Police Department

Location Columbus, KS

Platform Identity cpd.cherokee.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 16, 1888

Age 44

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

City Marshal David Gordon is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 16.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Columbus Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Gordon's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How David Gordon Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David Gordon is highlighted in Mar.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David Gordon was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518