Incident
Patrolman Rufus Parkinson was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a suspect wanted for robbing a woman in Osceola, Arkansas. Patrolman Parkinson was walking his beat, the southern levee from Front Street to the Mississippi River, when a female stopped him and pointed out the suspect, who had robbed her of $15 and a watch. When the suspect saw Patrolman Parkinson approaching, he fled south on Beale Street. Patrolman Parkinson gave chase and at Beale Street and Clinton Street (Present day Wagner Place) a pedestrian was able to restrain the suspect. When Patrolman Parkinson approached, the suspect broke free from the pedestrian, drew a gun, shot Patrolman Parkinson in the left side, and fled. Despite his wound, Patrolman Parkinson continued to pursue the suspect, firing several shots at him. Patrolman Parkinson attempted to mount a civilian's horse at Beale Street and Front Street to continue the pursuit, but was unable to because of his wound. The suspect escaped. Patrolman Parkinson was taken to his home, where he died a few hours later from his wound. The suspect was captured in Arkansas four days later. He was convicted of Patrolman Parkinson's murder and sentenced to life in prison on January 22, 1895. Patrolman Parkinson had served with the Memphis Police Department for only 10 months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtn7nd5xwqzax2s29n1wn- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Rufus. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Parkinson served with the Memphis Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Memphis Police Department has lost 94 officers; 53 of them killed feloniously.
Rufus is one of 498 officers killed feloniously in TN, 64.8% of the 769 remembered there.
Rufus is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Rufus is one of 17,622 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,102 remembered here.
34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1894, 1 officer at Memphis Police Department was killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 41 years on record. The heaviest was 1867, with 3.
In 1894, 3 officers in TN were killed feloniously, the 54th heaviest of 147 years on record. The heaviest was 1931, with 12.
In 1894, 70 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 103rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1894, 72 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 104th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Rufus was 38. Of the 48 killed feloniously at Memphis Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 27 and 40; the middle age was 33.5. Rufus had served 0.8 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Rufus was 38. Of the 449 killed feloniously in TN whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 50; the middle age was 41. Rufus had served 0.8 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Rufus was 38. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Rufus had served 0.8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Rufus was 38. Of the 15,853 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Rufus had served 0.8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
November holds 7.5% of these deaths at Memphis Police Department; December holds the most, 13.2%. Fridays: 24.5%.
November holds 6.2% of these deaths in TN; December holds the most, 10.2%. Fridays: 14.9%.
November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.
November holds 8.2% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Fridays: 14.3%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 56.4% of all 94 deaths at Memphis Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 28.3% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 64.8% of all 769 deaths in TN, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 24.1% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 20.9% of these deaths.
His people
Memphis Police Department has 94 officers remembered here, Rufus among them.
-
W. Stith Tucker May 5, 1860
-
John W. Causey Dec 31, 1861
-
W. C. Stockham Feb 22, 1865
-
William Mower Mar 1, 1866
-
John Stevens May 1, 1866
-
John M. Claridge Apr 24, 1867
-
Walter M. Rogers Jun 4, 1867
-
John M. Fenton Dec 31, 1867
-
John Gear Mar 13, 1868
-
James Somers Perry Jun 12, 1868
-
Darwin J. Finch Mar 8, 1869
-
John Regan Jul 13, 1870
-
James McConnell Aug 12, 1878
-
Michael Cannon Aug 22, 1878
-
William Unverzagt Aug 24, 1878
-
Patrick Ryder Aug 26, 1878
-
Morrison M. Allison Aug 31, 1878
-
John J. Huber Sep 2, 1878
-
Charles R. Staley Sep 10, 1878
-
Timothy Hope
Sep 17, 1878
-
William M. Homan Sep 25, 1878
-
Reuben C. Manuel Oct 14, 1878
-
Rufus Chalmers Parkinson
Nov 2, 1894
-
Joseph A. Perkins
Jul 17, 1900
-
Robert C. Jameson
Oct 17, 1904
-
W. Edwin Miller
Feb 10, 1907
-
John H. Ryan
Mar 19, 1910
-
John M. Taylor
Jun 22, 1912
-
Andrew Jackson
Jan 14, 1914
-
Julius S. Brett Aug 30, 1915
-
Edward T. Broadfoot
Feb 23, 1918
-
Felix Allen
Oct 8, 1918
-
Andrew Lycurgus White
Apr 13, 1919
-
John C. Brinkley
Jun 13, 1919
-
Guy Sydney Saint
Jan 7, 1920
-
Victor Louis Zambroni Mar 23, 1920
-
James Sidney Holmes
Sep 21, 1920
-
James J. McNeill
Dec 22, 1920
-
Polk Alonzo Caraway
Aug 10, 1921
-
Vincent Nicholas Lucarini
Aug 10, 1921
-
James Alonzo Bell
Sep 2, 1921
-
Presley Thornton Fleet
Nov 3, 1921
-
Jesse P. Wooten Feb 21, 1922
-
Charles F. Stevens
Aug 4, 1923
-
T. B. Hindman Knox
Apr 5, 1925
-
Harry Clemmons Elmore Jul 28, 1926
-
Willis Riley Bridges
Apr 20, 1929
-
Walter H. McEwen
Dec 30, 1929
-
Charles J. Redders, Sr.
Nov 8, 1931
-
Roy A. Scott
Feb 20, 1936
-
George W. Ham
Feb 27, 1936
-
Charles C. Musick
Jul 2, 1937
-
John Cannon Jun 30, 1939
-
James E. Walker
Apr 12, 1952
-
Joseph Palazolla
Nov 30, 1959
-
Frank Bruno, Jr.
Oct 7, 1960
-
Morris E. White
Nov 20, 1963
-
James E. Harper, Jr.
Feb 12, 1964
-
Dennis J. Jobe
Sep 22, 1970
-
Michael D. Wright, Jr.
Sep 9, 1972
-
David Wayne Clark
May 21, 1973
-
Edward John Hammond, Jr.
Nov 23, 1973
-
McCord Lee Springfield, Jr.
Mar 12, 1977
-
James N. Bush, Jr.
Dec 29, 1978
-
James Lee Jefferson
Aug 18, 1979
-
Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr.
May 12, 1981
-
Ronald D. Oliver
Aug 5, 1981
-
Larry Paul Childress
Jan 14, 1982
-
Charles L. Harrison
May 6, 1982
-
John Wesley Sykes, Jr.
Dec 31, 1982
-
Robert Sterling Hester
Jan 12, 1983
-
Booker T. Shaw
Dec 17, 1985
-
John Edward Reeve
Sep 9, 1991
-
Rufus Gates
Nov 7, 1994
-
Dannael James Weekes
Mar 7, 1997
-
Don Williams
Jan 29, 1998
-
Don Lee Overton
Oct 12, 1999
-
John Harold Robinson, Jr.
Dec 1, 1999
-
Clayton Wayne Hicks, Jr.
Nov 14, 2000
-
Anthony Louis Woods
Aug 27, 2003
-
Marlon Allen Titus
Mar 30, 2004
-
Timothy Felton Warren
Jul 3, 2011
-
Martoiya Veontwanneice Woods Lang
Dec 14, 2012
-
Sean Michael Bolton
Aug 1, 2015
-
Verdell Smith, Sr.
Jun 4, 2016
-
Bobby Rodriguez Montgomery
Aug 16, 2020
-
Christopher Scott Triplett
May 22, 2021
-
Jimmie Alexander Shindler
Sep 20, 2021
-
Darrell Dewayne Adams
Oct 2, 2021
-
Michael Lewis Hill
Nov 4, 2021
-
Corille Cortez Jones
Jan 20, 2022
-
Geoffrey Bernard Redd
Feb 18, 2023
-
Joseph Russell McKinney
Apr 12, 2024
-
Demetrice Lavelle Johnson
Aug 2, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
93 officers from Memphis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















