Joseph Fishback Sr.
Agency patch
City Marshal

Joseph Fishback Sr.

Cannelton Police Department — Cannelton, IN
Felonious
End of Watch November 7, 1900
The Vigil Panel 16 ›
Gender Male

Incident

City Marshal Joe Fishback was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for disorderly conduct following a dispute about voting on election day.

Marshal Fishback's brother had refused to vote and was confronted by an angry citizen who threatened him. The citizen went home, retrieved a revolver, and attempted to find Marshal Fishback's brother. Marshal Fishback confronted the man and attempted to arrest him but the man shot him twice in the abdomen. Marshal Fishback died the following day.

The subject was arrested, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to 21 years.

Marshal Fishback was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, three brothers, and two sisters.

Survivors

Marshal Fishback was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, three brothers, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-58B61ED0
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.
City Marshal Fishback served with the Cannelton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cannelton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Fishback.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Cannelton, Perry County, IN
Platform Identity cpd.perry.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 7, 1900
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

City Marshal Joseph Fishback Sr. 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 61.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Cannelton Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
IN — Statewide
311
of 503 officers
61.8% 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. Joseph Fishback Sr.'s cause is highlighted.

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

How Joseph Fishback Sr. Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Fishback Sr. is highlighted in Nov.

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. Joseph Fishback Sr. was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Cannelton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.