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John True
Agency patch
Patrolman

John True

Nashville City Police Department — Nashville, TN
Felonious
United States flag Tennessee flag
End of Watch August 4, 1924
Tour of Duty 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 110 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 21

Incident

Patrolman True was shot and killed shortly before midnight when he and his partner encountered two suspicious men leaving a park at 2nd Avenue and Peabody Street. When the officers instructed the men to halt one of the men opened fire, striking Patrolman True in the chest. His partner was able to return fire and wounded the suspect's accomplice. Patrolman True was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds at 0105 hours in the morning. Both suspects were apprehended a week later in Columbia. A few weeks later the shooter hanged himself from a pipe in his jail cell with his shoe laces. His accomplice was convicted of murder and sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Survivors

Patrolman True had been with the agency for one month and was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman True served with the Nashville City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman True.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch August 4, 1924
Tour of Duty 1 mo
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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1924, 225 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 4th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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.

Across the years

Patrolman John True

Nashville City Police Department · End of Watch August 4, 1924

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-W

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