U.S. Marshals Host 10th Fallen Heroes Honor Run in Oxford March 6

The U.S. Marshals Service will host the 10th annual Fallen Heroes Honor Run beginning at 6 a.m. March 6 in front of the federal courthouse on Jackson Avenue East on the Square in Oxford, with runners heading down Ninth Street to University Avenue, continuing west to the Lyceum on the University of Mississippi campus and returning to the courthouse to finish.

Law enforcement officers, first responders and families of fallen officers will gather for the event, and participants from across north Mississippi are expected to take part, including military members, law enforcement supporters and relatives of fallen officers from the area. University of Mississippi contingents named in previous coverage include ROTC students, the Department of Veteran and Military Service and members of the University Police Department, and Ole Miss officials have said the community is welcome to join in the run or cheer from the sidelines.

The run was established by the Eastern District of Missouri to honor the memory of Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells, who died March 10, 2015 while executing an arrest warrant for a fugitive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since that founding in 2015, the event has expanded into what organizers describe as both a national and a local tradition in Oxford.

Richard Upchurch, chief deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Mississippi, has framed the event as a remembrance of sacrifice. "The USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run serves as a powerful reminder of the courage and commitment of those who have given everything in service to others," Upchurch said. Marshals from 83 districts participated in the 2024 run, Upchurch said, illustrating the event's national reach even as the Oxford loop gives the community a local focus.

Organizers plan a group photo at the Lyceum steps during the Oxford route; Ole Miss published a submitted photo showing participants gathered on the Lyceum steps at the 2024 event. Runners are scheduled to meet at 6 a.m. in front of the U.S. District Court on Jackson Avenue for the March 6 start, and previous university notices have encouraged service members to wear tactical vests and plates if possible.

A Facebook post associated with the memorial runs reads, "Since 2019, 7 fallen heroes have been honored on this date with a 1-mile run. Say their names. Never forget their sacrifice. Running 4 Heroes." Oxford Eagle and Ole Miss coverage describe the Oxford-UM route but do not provide an official distance for the March 6 event; organizers in Oxford can confirm route length and any traffic advisories as the run approaches.

The 10th annual Fallen Heroes Honor Run on March 6 continues a tradition that began after Josie Wells' death in 2015, drawing law enforcement, service members, families and community members to the Square and the Lyceum to honor those lost in the line of duty.