Joseph Buzzell

San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office — French Camp, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 28, 1895

Age 43

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Buzzell was shot and killed while attempting to remove a family that was trespassing on a ranch near the San Joaquin River. The father of the family fired at Deputy Buzzell, striking him in the head and chest, killing him. The suspect was wounded in return fire. He was arrested three weeks later in Merced. He was tried and acquitted. Deputy Buzzell was survived by his wife and two children. He is buried in Stockton.

Survivors

Deputy Buzzell was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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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

131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Buzzell served with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the French Camp community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office

Location French Camp, CA

Platform Identity sjcso.sanjoaquin.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 28, 1895

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Acquitted

Deputy Sheriff Joseph Buzzell 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious