Lindsey Blake Smith

Tennessee Highway Patrol — Nashville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 17, 1934

Age 39

The Vigil Panel 69 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 40

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: 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.
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

Department Tennessee 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; .45 caliber

Offender Not available

Military Service

Lindsey Blake Smith served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Lindsey Blake Smith 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 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

of 41 officers

14.6% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious