Roll of Honor

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City Marshal

Abner Whitney

Missouri Valley Police Department — Missouri Valley, IA

Felonious

End of Watch April 28, 1894

Age 34

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 12 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Marshal Abner Whitney was shot and killed after he and several other officers surrounded a house where two robbery suspects were hiding. When the officers entered the house the suspects opened fire, killing Marshal Whitney. One of the suspects was shot and killed by other officers and the second suspect was lynched by a mob.

Marshal Whitney had been with the agency for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-405ABF2E
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

132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Whitney gave the Missouri Valley Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Missouri Valley community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Missouri Valley Police Department

Location Missouri Valley, IA

Platform Identity mvpd.harrison.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 28, 1894

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and killed

City Marshal Abner Whitney 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Missouri Valley Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Missouri Valley Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% 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. Abner Whitney'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 Abner Whitney Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Abner Whitney is highlighted in Apr.

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. Abner Whitney was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Missouri Valley Police Department are honored on badge.nw.