Thomas E. Wright

Decatur Police Department — Decatur, AL

Felonious

End of Watch March 27, 1930

Age 36

The Vigil Panel 59 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Officer Thomas Wright succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day when he and his partner stopped a vehicle for disregarding a stop sign. The driver, who was a local judge, shot Officer Wright in the side with a .41 caliber Derringer. Despite being wounded, Officer Wright was able to drive himself to the police station to seek help. The other officer remained at the scene with the suspect. Officer Wright received several blood transfusions but succumbed to his wounds the following day. The 63-year-old judge said he thought Officer Wright was a robber. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Alabama Supreme Court ordered a new trial which ended with a hung jury. Before a decision could be made for second trial, he was struck and killed by a motorist while crossing the street on November 8, 1931.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-7E90EBEF
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Wright served with the Decatur Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Decatur community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Wright.

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

Agency

Department Decatur Police Department

Location Decatur, AL

Platform Identity dpd.morgan.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 27, 1930

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .41 caliber

Offender Deceased

Officer Thomas E. Wright 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Decatur Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Decatur Police Department

of 5 officers

100% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious