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Sheriff

W. M. Russell

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch December 24, 1904
The Vigil Panel 19 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 51

Incident

Sheriff Russell was shot and killed by a prisoner he was transporting on a train. Sheriff W. M. Russell and Sheriff W. S. Russell were escorting two men that had been arrested for having over a thousand dollars of merchandise that had been stolen from a store in Sherman, Oklahoma. One of the prisoners somehow had a pistol secreted in his pocket and while handcuffed was able to draw and fire, hitting Sheriff W. M. Russell in the head, killing him almost instantly. Sheriff W. S. Russell fell in the fracas and hurt his hand. The two prisoners escaped by jumping from the moving train.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Russell served with the United States Department of the Interior.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Russell.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdibiaojsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 24, 1904
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

W. 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 1904, 83 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 78th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services has 52 officers remembered here, W. among them.

Across the years

Sheriff W. M. Russell

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services · End of Watch December 24, 1904

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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