David "George" Ball

West Virginia Department of Prohibition — Charleston, WV

Accident

End of Watch June 20, 1925

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 49 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 12

Incident

Prohibition Officer George Ball and Special Agent William Porter, of the United States Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit, were accidentally shot and killed in exchange of gunfire between two groups of prohibition officers.

A group of federal prohibition officers and a group of state prohibition officers were both conducting raids near Huntington, West Virginia. Neither group knew the other group was in the area.

When they encountered each other, each group mistook the other for moonshiners and shots were exchanged. Special Agent Porter and Prohibition Officer George Ball were both fatally wounded in the exchange. A second state agent was wounded.

Officer Ball was survived by his wife.

Officer Ball's brother, Police Officer Charles Ball, had previously been slain in the line of duty on November 10th, 1923, while serving with the Huntington Police Department.

Survivors

Officer Ball was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WV-2EF14CE4
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 David. 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.
Prohibition Officer Ball served with the West Virginia Department of Prohibition.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prohibition Officer Ball.

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

Agency

Department West Virginia Department of Prohibition

Location Charleston, WV

Platform Identity wvdpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1925

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Prohibition Officer David "George" Ball is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In WV, 54 of 232 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.3% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At West Virginia Department of Prohibition, 1 of 13 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 7.7% of this agency's fallen.

West Virginia Department of Prohibition

of 13 officers

7.7% Accident

WV — Statewide

of 232 officers

23.3% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident