Fielding F. Applebury
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Fielding F. Applebury

Felonious
End of Watch December 17, 1920
Age 55
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 40 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Fielding Applebury succumbed to a gunshot wound he received seven hours earlier when he was serving a warrant in the Arlington section of Shelby County.

Deputy Applebury received a warrant for the arrest of a man on the charge of disturbing the peace. He went to the man's home on the Covington Pike, three miles north of Arlington, in a horse-drawn buggy and located the man outside, and informed him of the warrant.

The man replied he that wasn't going to be arrested, raised a shotgun and shot Deputy Applebury in the abdomen. The man then fled the location on foot.

Deputy Applebury had served with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for 15 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-E3BBE3BE
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Applebury gave the Shelby County Sheriff's Office 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Applebury.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Platform Identity scso.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 17, 1920
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

Deputy Sheriff Fielding F. Applebury is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Shelby County Sheriff's Office, 13 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this agency's fallen.

Shelby County Sheriff's Office
13
of 21 officers
61.9% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Fielding F. Applebury's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Fielding F. Applebury Compares

Age at Death
55
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Fielding F. Applebury is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Fielding F. Applebury was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location