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Police Officer

Jonathan Merriman

Chattanooga Police Department — Chattanooga, TN
Felonious
United States flag Tennessee flag
End of Watch May 14, 1870
The Vigil Panel 3 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 26

Incident

Police Officer Jonathan Merriman succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on May 7th, 1870, while he served a warrant for theft.

Officer Merriman, along with three other officers went to the residence of a wanted suspect. The suspect emerged from the residence with arms raised in surrender then pulled a gun and shot Officer Merriman in the abdomen. The suspect also pistol-whipped a second officer.

Officer Merriman succumbed to his injuries on May 14th, 1870. The suspect fled the scene but was captured several months later and died while in jail.

Officer Merriman was survived by his mother and three sisters.

Survivors

Officer Merriman was survived by his mother and three sisters.

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

156 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Merriman served with the Chattanooga Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chattanooga community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Chattanooga Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Chattanooga, Hamilton County, TN
Platform Identity cpd.hamilton.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 14, 1870
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Jonathan 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 1870, 31 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 155th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
III

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; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

Chattanooga Police Department has 27 officers remembered here, Jonathan among them.

Across the years

Police Officer Jonathan Merriman

Chattanooga Police Department · End of Watch May 14, 1870

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-W

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