Joseph Andrew Hoffer
Agency patch
Private

Joseph Andrew Hoffer

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA
Felonious
End of Watch April 27, 1937
Age 29
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Private Joseph Hoffer was succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained five days earlier while he and several other officers attempted to arrest an escapee from the Fayette County Jail. The subject opened fire on the officers from an upstairs window of a house he was hiding in as the officers approached it. The suspect was killed when the officers returned fire. Private Hoffer had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for almost eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Private Hoffer gave the Pennsylvania State Police 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Hoffer.

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

Agency

Type State Police
Location Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA
Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 27, 1937
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Joseph had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pennsylvania State Police has 87 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Private Joseph Andrew Hoffer

Pennsylvania State Police · End of Watch April 27, 1937

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 59-W

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