Harry Wilcox
Agency patch
Park Police Officer

Harry Wilcox

Chattanooga Police Department — Chattanooga, TN
Felonious
End of Watch January 18, 1979
Age 69
Tour of Duty 32 yrs
Badge 238
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Wilcox was shot and killed while on foot patrol in a city park around 9:30 p.m. Other officers began searching for him after locating an unsecured portion of the park that should have been secured by Officer Wilcox. His body was found in a bathroom with a wound inflicted with his own weapon. A suspect was later charged with the murder after being taken into custody on an unrelated charge. The suspect was found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Officer Wilcox had been with the agency for 32 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-956C3E5B
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

32 years. You could have gone home.
Park Police Officer Wilcox gave the Chattanooga Police Department 32 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chattanooga community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Park Police Officer Wilcox.

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

Agency

Location Chattanooga, TN
Platform Identity cpd.hamilton.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 18, 1979
Tour of Duty 32 yrs
Age 69
Badge Number 238
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun
Offender Found incompetent

Park Police Officer Harry Wilcox 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 Chattanooga Police Department, 19 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chattanooga Police Department
19
of 27 officers
70.4% 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. Harry Wilcox'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 Harry Wilcox Compares

Age at End of Watch
69
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
32
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Found incompetent

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Harry Wilcox is highlighted in Jan.

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. Harry Wilcox was killed by officer's handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location