KING COUNTY, Wash. — The King County Sheriff’s Office is honoring the legacy and sacrifice of Sheriff Louis V. Wyckoff, who died on January 20, 1882, following one of the most violent episodes in the county’s early law enforcement history.
On that day, Sheriff Wyckoff and his deputies were guarding the King County Jail as an angry mob of approximately 200 to 300 men attempted to storm the facility. The crowd demanded the execution of two men accused of a fatal robbery attempt the previous day. Despite law enforcement efforts to protect the prisoners, deputies were overwhelmed. The suspects were forcibly removed from the jail and lynched from Henry Yesler’s maple trees.
Later that night, the mob returned and seized another man accused of murdering Seattle Police Officer David Sires. He too was taken to Yesler’s tree and hanged.
The following morning, Sheriff Wyckoff suffered a fatal heart attack and died. He was 52 years old. Wyckoff had served as King County Sheriff for 19 years and was survived by his wife and son.
In a remembrance shared this week, the King County Sheriff’s Office described Wyckoff’s death as the ultimate sacrifice made in service to the people of King County, highlighting the dangers faced by law enforcement officers both past and present.
The department continues to honor Sheriff Wyckoff’s memory and his role in shaping the early history of law enforcement in the region.