Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office, Michigan
End of Watch Thursday, December 12, 1867
Add to My HeroesBenjamin Franklin Orcutt
Sheriff Benjamin Orcutt was shot and mortally wounded by two men who were attempting to free prisoners from the county jail.
Sheriff Orcutt, whose home was beside the jail, awoke to a loud noise and went out and discovered two men attempting to make a jail window into an exit for his prisoners. As he pursued the two men into an alley, one or both opened fire striking the sheriff in the chest.
Sheriff Orcutt was able to return to his home. Physicians were sent for but his wound was fatal. He died at his home nine days later.
The two suspects were never positively identified. It was believed that they were accomplices of three prisoners who burglarized the Kalamazoo County Treasurer's Office the month before. Several suspects were questioned but none were charged. The case was never solved.
Sheriff Orcutt had served with the agency for 15 years. He was a Lieutenant Colonel for the Union Army with the 25th Michigan Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He was survived by his wife and three young sons.
Bio
- Age 53
- Tour 15 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Incident Date Tuesday, December 3, 1867
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Never tried
Most Recent Reflection
View all 9 Reflections“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9
Chris Di Gerolamo
Federal Air Marshal Service
August 15, 2021
Recent LODD Deaths
Police Officer Kyle Hicks
Corpus Christi Police Department, TX
EOW: April 24, 2024
Investigator John Hampton Coddou, III
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: April 23, 2024
Police Officer Jordan Wingate
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: April 20, 2024
Police Officer Luis M. Huesca
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: April 21, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Tobin Bolter
Ada County Sheriff's Office, ID
EOW: April 21, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Alfredo "Freddy" Flores
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, CA
EOW: April 20, 2024
Investigator Brian Herbert
Osage Nation Police Department, TR
EOW: April 17, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fred Fislar
Hendricks County Sheriff's Office, IN
EOW: April 16, 2024
Police Officer Michael E. Jensen
Syracuse Police Department, NY
EOW: April 14, 2024