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Town Marshal

Joseph Kirk

Inez Police Department — Inez, KY

Felonious

End of Watch October 1, 1899

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 15 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Town Marshal Joseph Kirk was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a man.

The subject had fired two shots at a man in town the previous day. Marshal Kirk went to the man's residence to arrest him, but he wasn't there. As he returned to town, he encountered the man and told him he was under arrest, at which point the main raised his Winchester rifle and fatally shot Marshal Kirk.

The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to prison. In 1902, he was pardoned by Governor J. C. W. Beckham.

Marshal Kirk was survived by his wife and two children.

Survivors

Marshal Kirk was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-434246DD
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

127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Town Marshal Kirk served with the Inez Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Inez community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Inez Police Department

Location Inez, KY

Platform Identity ipd.martin.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1899

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Rifle; Winchester

Offender Pardoned in 1902

Town Marshal Joseph Kirk 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Inez Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% 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. Joseph Kirk'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 Joseph Kirk Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Pardoned in 1902

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Kirk is highlighted in Oct.

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. Joseph Kirk was killed by rifle; winchester.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518