John King Fisher (October 1853 – March 11, 1884) was a gunslinger and vigilante from the U.S. state of Texas during the heyday of the American Old West.

After the Civil War ended, the family moved to Williamson County, near Austin, where his brother James was then residing.

After the death of his stepmother Minerva, the Fishers moved to Goliad, west of Victoria, Texas, where they were joined by his paternal grandmother, who helped her son raise his children.

King Fisher was restless, handsome, popular with women and prone to running[clarification needed] with a tough crowd.

Because of the incessant raids, lootings, and rapes of Texas ranch and farm families by bandits, he soon found himself taking part in posse activities.

One of the men drew his pistol, and Fisher immediately pulled his guns and managed to kill three of the bandits in the ensuing shootout.

He used this ranch as his gang's base of operations and even was so brazen as to place a sign that read "This is King Fisher's road.

"[1] During this time, King Fisher rarely committed acts of violence or theft against other Texas settlers, instead opting to raid and rustle cattle across the Mexican border.

In response to feelings of alleged lack of reprisal or defense by authorities, the Texans formed more groups of bandits.

[4] During this service, he trailed two stagecoach robbery suspects, the brothers Tom and Jim Hannehan, to their ranch near Leakey in Real County, Texas.

[1] According to reporter Carey McWilliams, when asked about how many notches he had on his gun (how many people he had killed), he replied, "thirty-seven, not counting Mexicans."

Thompson was unpopular in San Antonio, since he had earlier killed a popular theater owner there named Jack Harris.

Fisher and Thompson attended a play on March 11 at the Turner Hall Opera House, and later, about 10:30 p.m., they went to the Vaudeville Variety Theater.

Fisher was shot thirteen times, and did fire one round in retaliation, possibly wounding Coy, but that is not confirmed.