William H. Irwin

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

Felonious

End of Watch April 13, 1886

The Vigil Panel 8 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal Irwin was shot and killed in Oklahoma while escorting a prisoner to the federal prison in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Two members of the prisoner's gang ambushed Deputy Marshal Irwin and killed him. The gang leader was shot and killed the following year. One of the two suspects who ambushed the marshal was arrested and hanged in Fort Smith on August 30, 1889. The other suspect was never apprehended.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-2F652C06
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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Irwin 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

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 April 13, 1886

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Hung in 1889

Deputy U.S. Marshal William H. Irwin 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