Joseph William Shinners
Agency patch
Master Police Officer

Joseph William Shinners

Provo Police Department — Provo, UT
Felonious
End of Watch January 5, 2019
Age 29
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 169 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Master Police Officer Joseph Shinners was shot and killed in Orem, Utah while attempting to arrest a wanted fugitive at 10:00 p.m.

Investigators had received information that the wanted subject was going to be in the area of a retail store at 50 West University Parkway, in Orem. Members of the Provo Police Department and the Orem Police Department located the subject in the parking lot and attempted to take him into custody. During the arrest the man opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Shinners. The subject was also wounded in the shootout and is in custody.

Officer Shinners was transported to Utah Valley Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds shortly before midnight.

Officer Shinners had served with the Provo Police Department for three years and was posthumously promoted to the rank of Master Police Officer.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and young son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-UT-A37DCBB2
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.
Master Police Officer Shinners gave the Provo Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Provo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Master Police Officer Shinners.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Provo, Utah County, UT
Platform Identity ppd.utah.ut.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 2019
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Master Police Officer Joseph William Shinners 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 UT, 84 of 138 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this state's fallen. That is 60.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Provo Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Provo Police Department
3
of 5 officers
60% Felonious
UT — Statewide
84
of 138 officers
60.9% 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 William Shinners's cause is highlighted.

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

How Joseph William Shinners Compares

Age at Death
29
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph William Shinners is highlighted in Jan.

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 William Shinners was killed by gun; unknown type.

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

Incident Location