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Deputy Sheriff

Frank Bowman

Bell County Sheriff's Department — Pineville, KY
Felonious
United States flag Kentucky flag
End of Watch August 6, 1932
Age 54
The Vigil Panel 64 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 25

Incident

Deputy Frank Bowman was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two men for being drunk in public. Deputy Bowman had told the men to walk down the railroad tracks and leave the area.

One of the men then turned around and, with his hand in his pocket, approached Deputy Bowman. As Deputy Bowman reached for the man's hand the man opened fire. The two men started struggling and fell to the ground. Deputy Bowman stood and returned fire as the man ran away, but collapsed and died from his wounds.

The suspect was arrested, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to 10 years. He was paroled January 4, 1940. On August 25, 1947, he was found dead from a shotgun blast in the back on a road near Pineville.

Deputy Bowman was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Deputy Bowman was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
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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.
Deputy Sheriff Bowman served with the Bell County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Pineville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Bowman.

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

Agency

Department Bell County Sheriff's Department
Type Sheriff's Office
Location Pineville, Bell County, KY
Platform Identity bcso.bell.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 6, 1932
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Frank 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 1932, 210 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 8th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Frank was 54. 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.

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

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Bell County Sheriff's Department has 26 officers remembered here, Frank among them.

Across the years

Deputy Sheriff Frank Bowman

Bell County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch August 6, 1932

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-W

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