Owen Kelly
Agency patch
Acting Marshal

Owen Kelly

Warrior Police Department — Warrior, AL
Felonious
End of Watch May 1, 1888
Age 21
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 9 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Acting Marshal Owen Kelly was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two brothers who were involved in a fight at the local saloon.

The subjects were drunk and resisted arrest. One pulled out his pistol and shot Marshal Kelly in the stomach. The shooter fled but was captured a mile away. The other brother was arrested at the saloon.

The sheriff put the subjects on the train, but a large crowd overtook the train, and the shooter was shot and killed. The other subject was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years.

Marshal Kelly was the acting Town Marshal, while his brother, the Town Marshal, was transporting a prisoner out of state.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-1DB03548
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

138 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Acting Marshal Kelly served with the Warrior Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Warrior community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Warrior, Jefferson County, AL
Platform Identity warrpd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 1888
Tour of Duty
Age 21
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Acting Marshal Owen Kelly 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Warrior Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Warrior Police Department
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% 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. Owen Kelly's cause is highlighted.

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

How Owen Kelly Compares

Age at Death
21
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. Owen Kelly is highlighted in May.

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. Owen Kelly 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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Warrior Police Department are honored on badge.nw.