Herbert McClanahan

Murfreesboro Police Department — Murfreesboro, TN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 16, 1946

Age 38

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 83 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Policeman McClanahan was shot and killed by a citizen who had just received a ticket from another officer. The suspect armed himself with a shotgun, entered the police station, to see revenge. Policeman McClanahan attempted to arrest the man and a struggle ensued. During the ensuing struggle, the suspect was able to gain control of Policeman McClanahan's service weapon and then fired several shots with his shotgun. Policeman McClanahan was shot and killed and two other officers and the city's fire chief were wounded. The suspect fled the scene but was chased down by a mob of over 100 citizens. He was taken into custody and turned over to the Rutherford County sheriff. It was discovered that he was a former inmate of an insane asylum and he was wanted for the murder of his wife in Toledo, Ohio. The suspect, 53, was declared insane and committed at Central State Hospital in Nashville where he died on May 21, 1975. Policeman McClanahan was a US Navy veteran of WWII. He had served with the Murfreesboro Police Department for only 3 months but had served with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department prior to enlisting in the Navy.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three brothers, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-0710507A
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Herbert is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Policeman McClanahan served with the Murfreesboro Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Murfreesboro community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Murfreesboro Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, TN

Platform Identity mpd.rutherford.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 16, 1946

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Herbert McClanahan served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Policeman Herbert McClanahan 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 Murfreesboro Police Department, 2 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Murfreesboro Police Department

of 6 officers

33.3% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious