Ludwig P. Johnsen
Agency patch
Federal Prohibition Agent

Ludwig P. Johnsen

Accident
End of Watch July 28, 1928
Age 44
The Vigil Panel 55 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Federal Prohibition Agent Ludwig Johnsen was shot and killed by the sheriff of Chelan County, Washington, in a case of mistaken identity. Agent Johnsen and two other agents had gone to a location near Leavenworth, Washington, to investigate a still. When they arrived they encountered two men walking from the still carrying supplies. The two men were the Chelan County sheriff and a deputy who had just raided the still as well. Agent Johnsen, thinking the two men were moonshiners, identified himself. The sheriff, believing the federal agents were moonshiners, continued approaching. Agent Johnsen fired a warning shot into the ground and the sheriff returned fire, striking Agent Johnsen. Agent Johnsen was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

Survivors

Agent Johnsen was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-D9BD2389
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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Johnsen served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Johnsen.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch July 28, 1928
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Federal Prohibition Agent Ludwig P. Johnsen is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In DC, 453 of 1,418 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 31.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition, 16 of 37 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 43.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition
16
of 37 officers
43.2% Accident
DC — Statewide
453
of 1,418 officers
31.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ludwig P. Johnsen's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ludwig P. Johnsen Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Ludwig P. Johnsen is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897