Roll of Honor

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Special Deputy

Walter Coffin

Boise County Sheriff's Office — Idaho City, ID

Felonious

End of Watch April 18, 1883

Age 29

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 7 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Special Deputy Walter Coffin was shot and killed as he and a posse attempted to arrest a man wanted for double murder.

The man opened fire on the posse, striking Special Deputy Coffin in the head and killing him. The man then escaped and was never apprehended.

Special Deputy Coffin had been deputized by the county sheriff earlier in the day to help with the arrest.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-ID-E25E0926
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

143 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Coffin served with the Boise County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Idaho City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Boise County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Idaho City, Boise County, ID

Platform Identity bcso.boise.id.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 18, 1883

Tour of Duty

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Special Deputy Walter Coffin 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 ID, 44 of 71 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62% of this state's fallen. That is 62 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Boise County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

ID — Statewide

of 71 officers

62% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Coffin's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Walter Coffin Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Coffin is highlighted in Apr.

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. Walter Coffin was killed by handgun.

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

0 officers from Boise County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.