Pennsylvania State Constable - Centre County, Pennsylvania
End of Watch Thursday, March 5, 1896
Add to My HeroesJohn T. Barner
Constable John Barner was shot and killed while attempting to serve an assault warrant on a subject near Woodward, Centre County.
The man had assaulted his father-in-law one year earlier while attending a fair and had been terrorizing citizens of Woodward for several months. Constable Barner, who had just been elected one week earlier, deputized a citizen and organized a posse in an attempt to arrest the subject at his cabin.
As they approached the home the subject warned them not to approach. As the posse continued toward the house the man threw a lit stick of dynamite at him, but the explosion did not injure any of the officers. The man retreated upstairs in his cabin. As Constable Barner climbed the stairs the man opened fire on, striking him with a shotgun blast and wounding the deputized citizen.
The man then shot several citizens who attempted to approach the house. A large mob of citizens was organized and they eventually lit the house on fire, forcing the man's family from it. The man then committed suicide as the house burned, and then ultimately exploded due to a large quantity of dynamite inside of it.
Constable Barner had served as an elected constable of Centre County for only one week.
Bio
- Age 32
- Tour 1 week
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Shotgun
- Offender Committed suicide
Most Recent Reflection
View all 5 ReflectionsConstable Barner,
On today, the 125th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of Centre County.
R.I.P.
USBP
Anonymous
United States Border Patrol
March 5, 2021
Recent LODD Deaths
![Segus R. Jolivette](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27106/c_2024_jolivette.jpg)
Senior Corporal Segus R. Jolivette
Lafayette Police Department, LA
EOW: July 25, 2024
![Mohamed Said](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27101/police-officer-mohamed-said.jpg)
Corporal Mohamed Said
Melvindale Police Department, MI
EOW: July 21, 2024
![Edgar Ordonez](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27100/c_edgar-ordonez.jpg)
Probationary Police Officer Edgar Ordonez
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: July 10, 2024
![Robert William Sumner](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27096/c_robert-sumner.png)
Corporal Robert William Sumner
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, OK
EOW: July 14, 2024
![Matthew Bowen](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27095/police-officer-matthew-bowen.jpg)
Police Officer Matthew Bowen
Vacaville Police Department, CA
EOW: July 11, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fernando Esqueda
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: July 11, 2024
![Kevin Linn Palmer](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27091/c_k._palmer.jpg)
Assistant Chief Kevin Linn Palmer
North Richland Hills Police Department, TX
EOW: May 1, 2024
![Jamieson Ritter](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27085/police-officer-jamieson-ritter.jpg)
Police Officer Jamieson Ritter
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
EOW: July 4, 2024
![William Butler, Jr.](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27084/c_butler-bill.jpg)
Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr.
Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, MI
EOW: June 27, 2024