Lindsey Blake Smith
Agency patch
Patrolman

Lindsey Blake Smith

Tennessee Highway Patrol — Nashville, TN
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 17, 1934
Age 39
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Lindsey Smith, Policeman E.C. Armstrong, and Policeman Charles Holt, both of the Tullahoma Police Department, were shot and killed after responding to a domestic dispute. Policeman Armstrong was the first officer to arrive at the scene and was shot by the drunk suspect. The suspect opened fire with a .45 caliber handgun, striking Policeman Armstrong's badge and a second shot striking his spinal cord. Although wounded, he was able to return fire and struck the suspect in the arm. The suspect fled to a nearby church and hid in the crawl space beneath the building. Policeman Holt and Patrolman Smith responded to the church and located the suspect. Policeman Holt and the suspect exchanged shots and Policeman Holt was fatally wounded. As the suspect came around the corner of the building he shot Patrolman Smith twice, seriously wounding him. A second highway patrolman returned fire and killed the suspect. Policeman Armstrong and Patrolman Smith were transported to Protestant Hospital where they both succumbed to their wounds several days later. Patrolman Smith was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four children, and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-F42608A4
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Lindsey 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.
Patrolman Smith served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of Tennessee, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Nashville, TN
Platform Identity thp.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 17, 1934
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Lindsey Blake Smith served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Lindsey Blake Smith 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 97,759 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 Tennessee Highway Patrol, 6 of 41 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 14.6% of this agency's fallen.

Tennessee Highway Patrol
6
of 41 officers
14.6% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lindsey Blake Smith's cause is highlighted.

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

How Lindsey Blake Smith Compares

Age at Death
39
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lindsey Blake Smith 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. Lindsey Blake Smith was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Lindsey Blake Smith served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit Lindsey Blake Smith’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.