John D. Kirby

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

Felonious

End of Watch March 5, 1896

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Kirby was shot and killed in Holly Springs, South Carolina, while he and several other U.S. Marshals were bringing two men they had arrested to jail. The Marshals had arrested the two adult brothers for operating an illegal still in the upper part of the county. They were transporting them to jail when the group stopped at a church in Holly Springs for a break. Deputy Marshal Kirby's two sons, who were also deputy marshals, had accompanied them and went to a nearby millpond to hunt ducks and a third deputy marshal had continued driving a second wagon loaded with the seized liquor. The two prisoners were left with Deputy Marshal Kirby and one other deputy marshal. When Deputy Marshal Kirby set his rifle down to reach into their wagon one of the prisoners grabbed it and shot him in the head, killing him. The man then attempted to shoot the other deputy marshal but the rifle had no more ammunition in it. Both brothers fled the area.

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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

130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Kirby 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 March 5, 1896

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; Winchester

Offender Not available

Deputy U.S. Marshal John D. Kirby 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