Lester Woodrow "Tarzan" Gwinn

Knoxville Police Department — Knoxville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 31, 1955

Age 40

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 90 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 16

Incident

Officer Tarzan Gwinn was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a domestic disturbance call involving a man and his ex-wife at 218 East Scott Avenue in Knoxville at 1:30 am. As the officers entered the home, the male subject pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Gwinn in the chest five times. Both officers returned fire killing the subject. Officer Gwinn was a World War II veteran who earned the Silver Star, the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, and marksmanship medals while serving as a sniper in the Pacific. He served with the Knoxville Police Department for six years. He is survived by his wife, son, three brothers, and a sister. Officer Gwinn is buried in New Gray Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, three brothers, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-376A6C54
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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.
Patrol Officer Gwinn gave the Knoxville Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Knoxville 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 Knoxville Police Department

Location Knoxville, TN

Platform Identity kpd.knox.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 31, 1955

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

Lester Woodrow "Tarzan" Gwinn served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrol Officer Lester Woodrow "Tarzan" Gwinn is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Knoxville Police Department, 12 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.6% of this agency's fallen.

Knoxville Police Department

of 17 officers

70.6% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious