John Friel
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Friel

Felonious
End of Watch September 24, 1918
Age 63
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
The Vigil Panel 79 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Friel was shot and killed after he and his partner responded to a report of a prowler. The officers spotted the man in the dead-end of West Broadway. As they approached the suspect the man opened fire and Patrolman Friel was struck twice. He succumbed to his wounds early the next day. The suspect escaped the scene and was never apprehended.

Survivors

Patrolman Friel had been with the agency for 23 years and was survived by his wife and seven children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

23 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Friel gave the Nashville City Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Friel.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Nashville, Davidson County, TN
Platform Identity npd.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1918
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 63
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1918, 165 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 63. 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. John had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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

Nashville City Police Department has 22 officers remembered here, John among them.

Patrolman John Friel

Nashville City Police Department · End of Watch September 24, 1918

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-W

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