Gordon Givens
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Gordon Givens

Felonious
End of Watch January 30, 1910
Age 23
The Vigil Panel 24 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Gordon Givens was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a drunk miner. Despite being mortally wounded, Deputy Givens shot the suspect twice.

The man was charged with Deputy Givens' murder. He committed suicide in the county jail several months later by slitting his own throat as his wife visited him.

Deputy Givens is buried in Middlesboro Cemetery, Middlesboro, Bell County, Kentucky.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-FB549E18
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.
Deputy Sheriff Givens served with the Bell County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Pineville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Givens.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Pineville, Bell County, KY
Platform Identity bcso.bell.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 30, 1910
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Deputy Sheriff Gordon Givens 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bell County Sheriff's Department, 24 of 26 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 92.3% of this agency's fallen.

Bell County Sheriff's Department
24
of 26 officers
92.3% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% 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. Gordon Givens's cause is highlighted.

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

How Gordon Givens Compares

Age at Death
23
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Gordon Givens is highlighted in Jan.

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. Gordon Givens was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909