Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Georgia Weapon: Officer's handgun Offender: Lynched
Special Policeman John Gibby was shot and killed by two tramps he attempted to arrest.
Policeman Gibby was on duty in the railroad yard at Cornelia, Georgia, when the crew of an incoming freight train reported that two tramps on the train had defied all efforts to put them off. As soon as the train stopped, Policeman Gibby arrested both men. As he was handcuffing one, the other snatched his pistol and shot him twice.
Later in the day, a posse captured both suspects on Griffin Mountain. As the posse escorted the suspects back to Cornelia, they were surrounded by a mob of masked men who took the suspects and hanged them from a telegraph pole.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-51638302- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Policeman Gibby served with the Southern Railway Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Policeman Gibby.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Policeman John Gibby 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 Southern Railway Police Department, 17 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 94.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Gibby's cause is highlighted.
How John Gibby Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Gibby is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Gibby was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
17 officers from Southern Railway Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
