Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

Joe Binnion

Mitchell County Sheriff's Office — Colorado City, TX

Felonious

End of Watch April 14, 1897

Age 28

The Vigil Panel 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Twenty year old Jim Cooke’s mother had requested that Deputy Binnion speak to her son about returning home. Deputy Binnion went to the house in Colorado City where Cooke was known to be, and as he stepped in the door the young man fired, shooting Binnion through the bowels. Cooke then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. Binnion fell outside, fired one shot into the room, not knowing that Cooke was already dead. Deputy Binnion was carried home and died on April 14.

Binnion was buried in the Colorado City Cemetery.

Deputy Binnion left a wife and two sons, one son three years old and the other son 11 months old.

Harry T. Bryan Grand nephew September 30th, 2023

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-483EDB48
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

129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Binnion served with the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Colorado City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Mitchell County Sheriff's Office

Location Colorado City, TX

Platform Identity mcso.mitchell.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 14, 1897

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Committed suicide

Deputy Sheriff Joe Binnion 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Mitchell County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Mitchell County Sheriff's Office

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% 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. Joe Binnion'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 Joe Binnion Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Committed suicide

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joe Binnion is highlighted in Apr.

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. Joe Binnion was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Mitchell County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.