John S. Wright
Agency patch
Marshal

John S. Wright

Colville Police Department — Colville, WA
Felonious
End of Watch July 23, 1908
Age 55
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 22 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Marshal Wright succumbed to a gunshot wound received two months earlier while investigating an attempted robbery. He and another officer had gone to the victim's home to gather more information. While in the home the brother of the victim, who was scared because of the earlier robbery, opened fire with a rifle from a dark room. Marshal Wright was struck in the neck and paralyzed until his death two months later. Marshal Wright had served as Marshal for 5 years and had previously been a deputy sheriff for 4 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three sons, and four daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-B56FADD4
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.
Marshal Wright gave the Colville Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Colville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Marshal Wright.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Colville, Stevens County, WA
Platform Identity cpd.stevens.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1908
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Marshal John S. Wright 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%.

At Colville Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Colville Police Department
2
of 3 officers
66.7% 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. John S. Wright's cause is highlighted.

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

How John S. Wright Compares

Age at Death
55
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
9
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John S. Wright is highlighted in Jul.

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 S. Wright was killed by rifle.

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

2 officers from Colville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.