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Deputy U.S. Marshal

John D. Kirby

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch March 5, 1896
The Vigil Panel 13 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 312

Incident

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Kirby was shot and killed in Holly Springs, South Carolina, while he and several other U.S. Marshals were bringing two men they had arrested to jail. The Marshals had arrested the two adult brothers for operating an illegal still in the upper part of the county. They were transporting them to jail when the group stopped at a church in Holly Springs for a break. Deputy Marshal Kirby's two sons, who were also deputy marshals, had accompanied them and went to a nearby millpond to hunt ducks and a third deputy marshal had continued driving a second wagon loaded with the seized liquor. The two prisoners were left with Deputy Marshal Kirby and one other deputy marshal. When Deputy Marshal Kirby set his rifle down to reach into their wagon one of the prisoners grabbed it and shot him in the head, killing him. The man then attempted to shoot the other deputy marshal but the rifle had no more ammunition in it. Both brothers fled the area.

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130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Kirby served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 5, 1896
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1896, 59 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 129th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
V

Where

Deputy U.S. Marshal John D. Kirby

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch March 5, 1896

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-W

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