Melvin Claxton

Shelbyville Police Department — Shelbyville, TN

Cardiac

End of Watch February 17, 1999

Age 53

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 145 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Patrolman Claxton died when he suffered a heart attack during a foot chase of a jail escapee. After fleeing from the jail, the 19-year-old suspect stole a truck. Patrolman Claxton and another deputy began pursuit. The suspect bailed out and began to run. Patrolman Claxton and the deputy chased the suspect until he was captured. Patrolman Claxton then began having trouble breathing and collapsed. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-7ECAF958
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.
Patrolman Claxton gave the Shelbyville Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Shelbyville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Claxton.

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

Agency

Department Shelbyville Police Department

Location Shelbyville, TN

Platform Identity spd.bedford.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 17, 1999

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman Melvin Claxton is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TN, 37 of 769 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.8% of this state's fallen. That is 0.8 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Shelbyville Police Department, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Shelbyville Police Department

of 5 officers

20% Cardiac

TN — Statewide

of 769 officers

4.8% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac