William Hicks
Agency patch
Special Deputy Marshal

William Hicks

Felonious
End of Watch April 15, 1872
Age 38
The Vigil Panel 4 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Deputy Marshal William Hicks and seven other deputy marshals were shot and killed as he a group of ten marshals attempted to arrest a man for murdering a married couple. The suspect was being tried in an Indian court since the murdered woman was Indian. As the deputies approached the courthouse, which was being held in a schoolhouse, several Indians exited and opened fire on them, killing eight of the ten marshals. The incident was named the Going Snake Massacre. Deputy Marshal Owens succumbed to his injuries several hours after the incident. Several Indians were arrested and charged with murder. The U.S. Government dropped all charges due to a lack of evidence and witnesses refusing to testify.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-A66A181A
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

154 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Marshal Hicks served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 15, 1872
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Special Deputy Marshal William Hicks 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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 1,418 officers
53.2% 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. William Hicks's cause is highlighted.

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

How William Hicks Compares

Age at Death
38
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Hicks 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. William Hicks was killed by rifle.

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