Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff William Ezell was accidentally shot and killed while attempting to load a machine gun after several officers encountered members of the Dillinger Gang.
Two patrol officers had encountered four members of the gang parked in front of a drug store. The gang members held the two officers at gunpoint, using a machine gun, and ordered them back into their car before they fled. The two officers alerted the department, and Deputy Ezell and a detective were attempting to load their newly purchased machine gun to join the chase when it discharged. Deputy Ezell was struck in the chest with a .45 caliber round.
Deputy Ezell succumbed to his wound three days later at St. Thomas Hospital.
Deputy Ezell had served with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office for four years.
Survivors
Survivors include his wife, two sons, six brothers, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-E0F316BB- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Ezell gave the Davidson County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Ezell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff William G. Ezell, Sr. 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 Davidson County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William G. Ezell, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How William G. Ezell, Sr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William G. Ezell, Sr. is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Davidson County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
