Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Joseph Messer was accidentally shot and killed by another officer during a fight with a suspect. Patrolman Messer had arrested the suspect and seven other people for fighting. All eight were released, but the suspect got into a traffic accident, causing considerable property damage to a yard, so he was taken into custody a second time. While attempting to lock the suspect up, there was a scuffle between Patrolman Messer, the night desk sergeant, and the suspect. During the fight, the suspect got hold of the desk sergeant's .45 caliber pistol, but dropped it. The sergeant regained control of the weapon and while attempting to shoot the suspect, accidentally shot Patrolman Messer. The suspect was charged with felonious assault with a deadly weapon and assaulting an officer. Patrolman Messer had served with the Oliver Springs Police Department for three months. He had previously been a guard at the Brushy Mountain State prison at Petros and a deputy for four years with the Anderson County Sheriff's office.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, three brothers, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-2DB93B66- 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 Messer gave the Oliver Springs Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oliver Springs 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph Eual Messer served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Joseph Eual Messer is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Oliver Springs Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Eual Messer's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Eual Messer Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Eual Messer is highlighted in Jul.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Oliver Springs Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
