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James Alonzo Bell
Agency patch
Sergeant

James Alonzo Bell

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN
Felonious
United States flag Tennessee flag
End of Watch September 2, 1921
Age 48
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
The Vigil Panel 98 · Column 4 · Line 1 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Sergeant James Bell succumbed to stab wounds sustained the previous day while chasing a suspect who had taken his gun. He was driving past the corner of McLemore Street and Third Avenue when he observed a male inside a cafe creating a disturbance. Sergeant Bell entered the cafe and placed the man under arrest. While attempting to take the suspect outside, another man grabbed his service weapon and ran outside. Sergeant Bell pursued the suspect to the corner of McLemore Avenue and Rayburn Boulevard in an attempt to get his gun back. While he was chasing the suspect, a third man grabbed Sergeant Bell from behind, cut his throat, and stabbed him several times. Sergeant Bell staggered across the street and fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital but died a few hours later on the operating table. Before he died, Sergeant Bell was able to identify the suspect who stabbed him in a photograph. All three suspects were apprehended within 12 hours and all were convicted of murder. Sergeant Bell served with the Memphis Police Department for 22 years.

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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Bell gave the Memphis Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Bell.

— 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 September 2, 1921
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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

James was 48. 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. James had served 22 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%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant James Alonzo Bell

Memphis Police Department · End of Watch September 2, 1921

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-W

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