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Presley Thornton Fleet
Agency patch
Emergency Patrolman

Presley Thornton Fleet

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN
Felonious
United States flag Tennessee flag
End of Watch November 3, 1921
Age 45
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 10 mo
The Vigil Panel 42 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Emergency Patrolman P.T. Fleet was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect at Carolina Avenue and Kansas Street. He and three other officers were sent to a home at 675 Kansas Street to arrest a man who had shot and killed his wife earlier in the day. When they arrived the suspect fled out the back door, and the officers pursued him into the nearby Frisco Railroad yards. The officers spread out and began to search for the suspect. As Patrolman Fleet came around the corner of a boxcar he met the suspect face to face. The suspect fired, hitting Patrolman Fleet in the chest. As the suspect fired the fatal shots at Patrolman Fleet, Patrolman W.R. Bridges rounded the corner and emptied his gun into the suspect, killing him. Patrolman Fleet was rushed to Saint Joseph's Hospital but died en route. Patrolman Bridges was shot and killed in the line of duty seven years later while attempting to make an arrest. Patrolman Fleet served with the Memphis Police Department for less than two years.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Emergency Patrolman Fleet gave the Memphis Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Emergency Patrolman Fleet.

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

Agency

Department Memphis Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 3, 1921
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 10 mo
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Presley is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1921, 248 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Presley was 45. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Presley had served 1.8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Memphis Police Department has 94 officers remembered here, Presley among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Emergency Patrolman Presley Thornton Fleet

Memphis Police Department · End of Watch November 3, 1921

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-W

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