Robert Edward Arnow

Alachua County Sheriff's Office — Gainesville, FL

Felonious

End of Watch June 20, 1921

Age 33

The Vigil Panel 41 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Robert Arnow was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man for carrying a concealed weapon. He and a local police chief were arresting the man who the deputy knew and thought he could talk into surrendering peacefully. The deputy asked the suspect if he had a weapon and he replied, "Yes, I will give it to you," and then proceeded to fire five shots at Deputy Arnow with a .32 caliber pistol hidden under his coat. Deputy Arnow was hit four times, with one shot in the neck breaking his spinal column. Deputy Arnow fell against the police chief, who was able to return fire at the fleeing suspect. Deputy Arnow died June 20, 1921, in the Williams Sanitarium in Gainesville after undergoing surgery to locate the bullet.

Survivors

Deputy Arnow was survived by his wife, three sons, and his mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-74E68527
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Arnow served with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Gainesville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Arnow.

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

Agency

Department Alachua County Sheriff's Office

Location Gainesville, FL

Platform Identity acso.alachua.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1921

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Offender Hung in 1922

Deputy Sheriff Robert Edward Arnow is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Alachua County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.

Alachua County Sheriff's Office

of 7 officers

85.7% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious