John Franks

Gila County Sheriff's Office — Globe, AZ

Felonious

End of Watch April 9, 1918

Age 59

The Vigil Panel 33 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Deputy Sheriff John Franks was shot and killed in Christmas, Arizona, while attempting to arrest a man who had fired a rifle at a store clerk.

The man became angry when the clerk refused to sell him more than his allotted quota of flour. The man went home, retrieved a rifle, then shot at the clerk several times after returning to the store.

Deputy Franks was notified of the shooting and went to the man's cabin to arrest him. As he approached the cabin the man fired at him through the windows, striking him in the chest. The man fled the area after the shooting.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AZ-14668EE6
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Franks served with the Gila County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Globe community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Franks.

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

Agency

Department Gila County Sheriff's Office

Location Globe, AZ

Platform Identity gcso.gila.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 9, 1918

Age 59

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Rifle

Deputy Sheriff John Franks 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 AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Gila County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Gila County Sheriff's Office

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

AZ — Statewide

204

of 330 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious