Simon Combs

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch January 23, 1901

Age 22

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Location: Kentucky Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Shot and killed

Special Deputy Marshal Simon Combs was shot and killed as he and several others raided a liquor still at a home along Elkhorn Creek in Pike County, Kentucky. Two posse members and a deputy marshal were also wounded in a terrific gun battle with the owner of the home and several other men. The posse was forced to retreat.

The home owner and leader of the other men was one of Kentucky's most notorious moonshiners and the most dangerous, as he was wanted for killing three other men. His home was on top of a bluff making it hard to get to as it was heavily guarded and he was a crack shot. Many attempts were made to capture the suspect without success. On September 12, 1901, he was shot and killed by a 20-year-old man after he abused his sister.

Special DUSM Coombs, On today, the 120th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country.

R.I.P. USBP

Anonymous United States Border Patrol January 23rd, 2021

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-3F7AF367
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.
Special Deputy Marshal Combs served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Marshal Combs.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 23, 1901

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Special Deputy Marshal Simon Combs 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

251

of 313 officers

80.2% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious