David M. Sires

Seattle Police Department — Seattle, WA

Felonious

End of Watch October 16, 1881

Age 55

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 7 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 59

Incident

Special Police Officer David Sires was shot and killed while patrolling the area of Occidental Street and Washington Street. He was attempting to arrest a male who had been kicked out of a saloon. This man then began firing a revolver into the ground. After being shot, Officer Sires was able to identify the man before he died. The male was arrested but he was lynched by an angry mob who broke into the jail while he was awaiting trial. During the lynching, Sheriff Louis Wyckoff of the King County Sheriff's Department suffered a fatal heart attack. He and his deputies had been attacked by the mob and held down while the prisoners were hung. Officer Sires was the first Seattle police officer to be killed in the line of duty. He had served with his Seattle Police Department for two years and was survived by his wife, two daughters, and six siblings. He is buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.

Survivors

He had served with his Seattle Police Department for two years and was survived by his wife, two daughters, and six siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-142AC12B
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

145 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Police Officer Sires gave the Seattle Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Seattle community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Seattle Police Department

Location Seattle, WA

Platform Identity seatpd.king.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 16, 1881

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 55

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Lynched by angry mob

Special Police Officer David M. Sires 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 WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Seattle Police Department, 44 of 60 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.3% of this agency's fallen.

Seattle Police Department

of 60 officers

73.3% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 339 officers

55.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious