Russell Baker

Barbourville Police Department — Barbourville, KY

Felonious

End of Watch December 25, 1921

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 42 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Chief Russ Baker was shot and killed at Elys Station on Christmas Day as he and a Knox County deputy questioned several men who had fired a pistol.

Chief Baker had just been appointed police chief in Barbourville and was traveling there with his wife, the deputy, and the deputy's sister. After passing a group of men, one of the subjects fired a pistol. Chief Baker and the deputy turned back to search the men.

The chief had just disarmed one of the men when another one began to stab Chief Baker in the back. Chief Baker turned shot the man three times, killing him.

In the ensuing shootout, Chief Baker and two other men from the group were fatally shot. The deputy was wounded in the forearm.

Chief Baker was survived by his wife and is buried in the Hinyar Cemetery, Hinyar, Kentucky.

Survivors

Chief Baker was survived by his wife and is buried in the Hinyar Cemetery, Hinyar, Kentucky.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-73511A8C
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.
Chief of Police Baker served with the Barbourville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Barbourville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Baker.

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

Agency

Department Barbourville Police Department

Location Barbourville, KY

Platform Identity bpd.knox.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 25, 1921

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Not available

Offender Shot and killed

Chief of Police Russell Baker 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%.

At Barbourville Police Department, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Barbourville Police Department

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious