Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Wash Coppinger, Deputy Sheriff Langford Hennessey, and Deputy Sheriff James Conner were shot and killed in a shootout with members of the South Pittsburgh Police Department who held a grudge against the sheriff.
The city's night marshal was the former sheriff and had lost his re-election bid against Sheriff Coppinger. The night marshal had appointed a man who had been arrested by Sheriff Coppinger as a deputy marshal.
During a labor strike at a local factory, the night marshal and his officers supported the non-union workers who were being harassed by striking workers because they were not participating in the strike.
A county deputy witnessed the officers holding a union member at gunpoint and approached them. The city officers then held the deputy at gunpoint before dispersing. The deputy immediately notified Sheriff Coppinger, who responded to the scene with Deputy Hennessey, Deputy Conner, and his son, who was also a deputy.
The sheriff and deputies confronted the officers on 3rd Street, near Cedar Avenue, and attempted to resolve the situation peacefully by offering to discuss it with the mayor. The sheriff then informed one of the officers he would have to be arrested for pointing the gun at the deputy.
One of the officers then opened fire with a shotgun. During the ensuing shootout, Sheriff Coppinger and Deputy Hennessey were killed, along with the city's night marshal, his deputy, and a special officer who worked at the local factory. Deputy Conner, who also served as the South Pittsburgh police chief, suffered a fatal shotgun blast and died the following day.
Sheriff Coppinger was survived by his wife and children.
Survivors
Sheriff Coppinger was survived by his wife and children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-1CFD64F9- 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.
Sheriff Coppinger served with the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Jasper community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Coppinger.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff George Washington Coppinger 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Marion County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George Washington Coppinger's cause is highlighted.
How George Washington Coppinger Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Washington Coppinger is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George Washington Coppinger was killed by shotgun; 12 gauge.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Marion County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
