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Deputy Night Watchman

Fred French

Kingsburg Police Department — Kingsburg, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 2, 1916

The Vigil Panel 31 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Watchman French was shot and killed by a suspect he had arrested earlier in the night for being drunk in public and creating a disturbance in a pool hall. After being taken to the jail the suspect apologized and asked to go home to go to sleep. The officers released the man, who went home, grabbed his double-barrel shotgun, and returned to the downtown district. The suspect located Watchman French and shot him twice in the back. The suspect fled the scene after the murder. He was never apprehended.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-B84331BF
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 Night Watchman French served with the Kingsburg Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Kingsburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Night Watchman French.

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

Agency

Department Kingsburg Police Department

Location Kingsburg, CA

Platform Identity kpd.fresno.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 2, 1916

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Never apprehended

Deputy Night Watchman Fred French 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%.

Kingsburg Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Fred French Compares

Offender Outcome

Never apprehended

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Fred French is highlighted in Nov.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Fred French was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518