John Gatewood
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

John Gatewood

Felonious
End of Watch February 2, 1839
The Vigil Panel 1 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal John Gatewood was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as he and three other deputy marshals attempted to seize property as the result of a court order.

The marshals were attacked by a group of over 20 people and Deputy Marshal Gatewood was fatally wounded.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-234B0174
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

187 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Gatewood served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 2, 1839
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Gatewood 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
251
of 313 officers
80.2% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% 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. John Gatewood's cause is highlighted.

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

How John Gatewood Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Gatewood is highlighted in Feb.

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. John Gatewood was killed by handgun.

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