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Sergeant

James Timothy Chapin

Chattanooga Police Department — Chattanooga, TN

Felonious

End of Watch April 2, 2011

Age 51

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

The Vigil Panel 160 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Keepsakes Department 26

Incident

Sergeant Tim Chapin was shot and killed after responding to a robbery at a pawn shop on Brainerd Road at approximately 10:25 am.

As responding officers arrived at the scene, they were immediately fired upon by the suspect from inside the store. As officers took to cover, the subject ran from a side door and continued firing at pursuing officers.

The subject then fired into Sergeant Chapin's patrol car as he arrived at the scene. The patrol car struck the subject, and Sergeant Chapin exited the vehicle and pursued the man on foot but was shot in the head and killed.

Other officers continued to return fire and shot the suspect before taking him into custody. One other officer was shot in the back, but the round was stopped by his vest. The suspect was wearing a bulletproof vest which stopped several rounds fired by the officers. He was subsequently shot above and below the vest before being taken into custody.

In November 2012, the subject pleaded guilty to six counts, including first-degree murder, and was sentenced to life without parole plus 25 years.

Sergeant Chapin had served with the Chattanooga Police Department for 27 years and had also served for one year with the United States Capitol Police.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

27 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Chapin gave the Chattanooga Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chattanooga community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Chapin.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Chattanooga Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chattanooga, Hamilton County, TN

Platform Identity cpd.hamilton.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 2, 2011

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,546 remembered there.

33,912 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 2011, 88 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 71st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James was 51. Of the 14,216 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,546 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun; .45 caliber, in 0.6% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded