Ernest E. Buckley
Agency patch
Town Marshal

Ernest E. Buckley

Selah Police Department — Selah, WA
Felonious
End of Watch March 1, 1916
Age 27
Tour of Duty 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 30 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Marshal Buckley was shot and killed while investigating suspicious activity near a local bank while on his nightly patrol. He heard sounds coming from a drainage ditch near the bank and called out to whoever was there. The suspect(s) then opened fire, striking Marshal Buckley three times, before fleeing. Marshal Buckley was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the next morning. Evidence found in the drainage ditch suggested the suspect(s) were planning a robbery of the bank. The suspect(s) were never apprehended. Marshal Buckley was Selah's first Town Marshal and had served in law enforcement for 8 months.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-1812B630
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Town Marshal Buckley served with the Selah Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Selah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Buckley.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Selah, Yakima County, WA
Platform Identity spd.yakima.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 1, 1916
Tour of Duty 8 mo
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Town Marshal Ernest E. Buckley 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 WA, 187 of 340 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55% of this state's fallen. That is 55 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Selah Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
WA — Statewide
187
of 340 officers
55% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ernest E. Buckley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Ernest E. Buckley Compares

Age at Death
27
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ernest E. Buckley 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. Ernest E. Buckley was killed by gun.

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 Selah Police Department are honored on badge.nw.