Orson McRae
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Orson McRae

Felonious
End of Watch July 12, 1917
Age 33
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 32 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Orson McRae was shot and killed while rounding up striking miners. He had been sworn in as a deputy the day before and on the morning of the deportation, he joined a posse of five deputies who were assigned to pick up striking miners from rooming houses. Deputy McRae was unarmed when he forced his way into a boarding house room. After shooting the deputy, the other posse members returned fire and killed the subject.

Survivors

Deputy McRae was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-283EDE2B
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Orson. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff McRae served with the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bisbee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff McRae.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Bisbee, Cochise County, AZ
Platform Identity ccso.cochise.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 12, 1917
Tour of Duty
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff Orson McRae 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 AZ, 204 of 330 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%.

At Cochise County Sheriff's Department, 14 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 93.3% of this agency's fallen.

Cochise County Sheriff's Department
14
of 15 officers
93.3% Felonious
AZ — Statewide
204
of 330 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. Orson McRae's cause is highlighted.

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

How Orson McRae Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Orson McRae is highlighted in Jul.

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. Orson McRae was killed by gun.

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