Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Joseph Clark and Deputy Sheriff Martin Lange were shot and killed at a mining camp near Yreka by two brothers while attempting to arrest them for assaulting a citizen earlier in the evening. The citizen, who was accompanying the officers, was also shot and killed. Another man with them escaped. Both brothers fled into the mountains. Two weeks later the suspects came down from the mountains and surrendered to the sheriff. They said they opened fire on the officers because they thought they were robbers. Both suspects were convicted of three counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death on December 22, 1936. Their sentences were later commuted to life. Both brothers were paroled September 18th, 1951.
Survivors
Constable Clark was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-10DDFCC8- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
40 years. You could have gone home.
Constable Clark gave the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department 40 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Yreka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Clark.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Joseph Clark 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department, 4 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Clark's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Clark Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Clark is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Clark was killed by rifle.
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
