Roll of Honor

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Town Marshal

James T. Morris

Morristown Police Department — Morristown, TN

Felonious

End of Watch August 20, 1880

Age 27

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Town Marshal James Morris was shot and killed as he attempted to quell a disturbance in front of a local saloon.

The county sheriff was also wounded in the incident before another officer killed the subject.

On this 140th anniversary of your untimely and heroic departure we say thank you for your service and please know that no passage of time will ever erase your heroism and sacrifice.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) August 20th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-660EE8EB
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

146 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Town Marshal Morris served with the Morristown Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Morristown community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Morristown Police Department

Location Morristown, TN

Platform Identity mpd.hamblen.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 20, 1880

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Town Marshal James T. Morris 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%.

Morristown Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James T. Morris's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How James T. Morris Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James T. Morris is highlighted in Aug.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James T. Morris was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518