Lee Cummings McGhee
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Lee Cummings McGhee

Felonious
End of Watch January 9, 1934
Age 59
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Lee McGhee was shot and killed as he and another deputy walked a prisoner to the city jail in Coal Creek.

The deputies had just arrested the man for being drunk in public. As they walked to jail the man suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Deputy McGhee, killing him. The other deputy was able to return fire and mortally wounded the subject who died three days later.

Deputy McGhee was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Deputy McGhee was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-34B4CAE0
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff McGhee served with the Anderson County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Clinton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff McGhee.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Clinton, Anderson County, TN
Platform Identity acso.anderson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 9, 1934
Age 59
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Deputy Sheriff Lee Cummings McGhee 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 Anderson County Sheriff's Department, 8 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 88.9% of this agency's fallen.

Anderson County Sheriff's Department
8
of 9 officers
88.9% 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. Lee Cummings McGhee's cause is highlighted.

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

How Lee Cummings McGhee Compares

Age at Death
59
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lee Cummings McGhee is highlighted in Jan.

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. Lee Cummings McGhee was killed by handgun.

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