Steven Ross Pinkelton

Metro Nashville Police Department — Nashville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 26, 1978

Age 30

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 120 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 19

Incident

Officer Steven Pinkelton was shot and killed when the restaurant he was in was robbed. He was off duty but in uniform waiting in line when an armed robber entered, grabbed him from behind, and shot him in the back of the head. The 29-year-suspect was arrested on February 18, 1983, at the state penitentiary in Nashville. He had served three years of a 13-year sentence for the robbery of two restaurants in the same area of the restaurant where Officer Pinkelton was killed. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He had a parole hearing in September of 2022 and was denied. Officer Pinkelton was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Metro Nashville Police Department for six years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-5A9A5817
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.
Officer Pinkelton gave the Metro Nashville Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville 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 Metro Nashville Police Department

Location Nashville, TN

Platform Identity mnpd.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 26, 1978

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .357 caliber

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Steven Ross Pinkelton served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Steven Ross Pinkelton 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 Metro Nashville Police Department, 12 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Metro Nashville Police Department

of 20 officers

60% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious