Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Martin Sowders was accidentally shot and killed by another deputy during a shootout with a suspect wanted for robbing a pharmacy. During the arrest, the man opened fire on the deputies. Deputy Sowders was struck by return fire from one of the other deputies. The suspect was later identified as an escaped convict from the Washington State Penitentiary. Deputy Sowders had served seven years with the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-618CF6EA- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Martin is one person.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Sowders gave the Clark County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Vancouver community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Sowders.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Martin S. Sowders served in the U.S. Air Force (1968â1968) before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Martin S. Sowders is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,784 officers honored here.
In WA, 111 of 340 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.6% of this state's fallen. That is 32.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Clark County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Martin S. Sowders's cause is highlighted.
How Martin S. Sowders Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Martin S. Sowders is highlighted in Nov.
Military Service
Martin S. Sowders served in the U.S. Air Force (1968–1968) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Martin S. Sowders’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Clark County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
