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Joe Big Knife
Incident
Officer Big Knife was shot and killed on the Quapaw Indian Reservation in Oklahoma when he and several other officers went to evict members of a family that had returned to a location after they had already been removed once. As the officers approached the home a friend of the family opened fire on them with a shotgun, striking Officer Big Knife in the head.
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- August 2, 2026
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- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Big Knife served with the United States Department of the Interior.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services has lost 52 officers; 45 of them killed feloniously.
Joe is one of 754 officers killed feloniously in DC, 53.1% of the 1,419 remembered there.
Joe is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Joe is one of 17,622 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,102 remembered here.
34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1895, 2 officers at United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services were killed feloniously, the 4th heaviest of 30 years on record. The heaviest was 1890, with 6.
In 1895, 12 officers in DC were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 159 years on record. The heaviest was 1922, with 20.
In 1895, 74 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 95th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1895, 77 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 95th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
When
October holds 6.7% of these deaths at United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services; December holds the most, 26.7%. Tuesdays: 11.1%.
October holds 6% of these deaths in DC; July holds the most, 11.7%. Tuesdays: 12.1%.
October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.
October holds 7.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Tuesdays: 13.3%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 86.5% of all 52 deaths at United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 8.9% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 53.1% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7.4% of these deaths.
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.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 6.3% of these deaths.
His people
United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services has 52 officers remembered here, Joe among them.
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Chin Chi Kee Jan 10, 1852
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Andrew J. Bolon
Sep 25, 1855
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Benjamin Franklin Jones Sep 20, 1876
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Culpepper Cobert Dec 7, 1878
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John Green Dec 25, 1878
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John R. Boston Jul 20, 1881
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Joe Barnett Jul 30, 1882
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Sam Scott Jul 30, 1882
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Leander Brown Aug 7, 1882
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Henry McGill Nov 3, 1883
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Frank West
Dec 17, 1886
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Jack Candy
Jan 28, 1888
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Medley Hair Jan 28, 1888
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Paul Akicitah Dec 15, 1890
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John Armstrong Dec 15, 1890
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David Hawkman Dec 15, 1890
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James Little Eagle Dec 15, 1890
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Charles Shavehead Dec 16, 1890
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Henry Bullhead
Dec 19, 1890
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Armstead Homer May 16, 1891
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Sequoyah Houston
Jun 17, 1894
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Isaac Walkingstick
Jul 29, 1894
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Robert Marshal Sep 10, 1894
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John Red Horse Nov 16, 1894
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James T. Musgrove Jun 3, 1895
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Joe Big Knife Oct 22, 1895
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Charles Proctor Aug 10, 1896
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Jefferson Davis Surratt
Dec 5, 1900
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Cub Burney Jul 17, 1901
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Dick Bullard Jan 4, 1902
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W. M. Russell Dec 24, 1904
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Ben C. Collins
Aug 1, 1906
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Frank Horn Cloud
Mar 10, 1910
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Robert Leo Bowman
Sep 19, 1912
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William Miller May 4, 1919
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Henry Oats
Feb 6, 1925
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Aaron Harrison Scott Jun 22, 1925
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Oscar E. Olson Oct 26, 1930
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Nathan Norman Bear Jul 14, 1960
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George Comes At Night Apr 15, 1962
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Alan L. St. Clair Oct 3, 1965
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Adolph Frederick Bush
Feb 19, 1967
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Phillip Nick Lopez Apr 1, 1975
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Milburn Williamson
Dec 28, 1976
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Leroy Andrew Pine, Jr. Jul 23, 1988
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Dean Martin James
Sep 17, 1988
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Terry Spotted Wolf, Sr. Sep 20, 1988
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Kevin Tilman Lewis
Feb 4, 1993
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Michael Grant Miller
Aug 28, 1995
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Jack Lee Spencer, Sr.
Sep 5, 1998
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Creighton Travis Spencer
Mar 25, 2001
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Joshua Yazzie
Jun 7, 2010
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-E
Others Who Wore This Badge
51 officers from United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
