Arthur Owens, Jr.

Buchanan County Sheriff's Office — Vansant, VA

Cardiac

End of Watch June 3, 1975

Age 50

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 115 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Owens suffered a fatal heart attack moments after he and the sheriff engaged in a shootout with a suspect wanted for shooting into his neighbor's home. Four months earlier the suspect shot and wounded another deputy who had attempted to arrest him for a previous shooting. As Deputy Owens and the sheriff approached the man he opened fire on them. The deputies returned fire and chased the man a short distance before catching him. A brief struggle ensued before they were able to subdue him. The suspect was placed in their car as Deputy Owens walked back to speak with the original complainant. He had just walked across a short bridge leading to the man's home when he collapsed. Deputy Owens had served with the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office for 7 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-5AFF6684
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.
Deputy Sheriff Owens gave the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Vansant community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Owens.

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

Agency

Department Buchanan County Sheriff's Office

Location Vansant, VA

Platform Identity bcso.buchanan.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 3, 1975

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Deputy Sheriff Arthur Owens, Jr. is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In VA, 25 of 654 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.8% of this state's fallen.

At Buchanan County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 6 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

Buchanan County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

16.7% Cardiac

VA — Statewide

of 654 officers

3.8% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac