Albemarle County Sheriff's Office, Virginia
End of Watch: Thursday, May 29, 1952
Age: 51
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: 8
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 14, 1952
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff Tom Wolfe was shot and killed as he and another deputy attempted to question a man who had shot into a neighbor's home in Free Union on two consecutive days.
The man, who was a deaf mute, had fired at officers several months earlier after having gone missing.
On the day of Deputy Wolfe's murder, the two deputies were accompanied by another neighbor who was going to help communicate with the suspect.
When the three arrived at the man's home they encountered him sitting at an upstairs door above the porch. The deputies signaled for the man to come down. As Deputy Wolfe's partner approached from a rear door Deputy Wolfe yelled that the suspect was loading a gun. The man then fired through the door at the other deputy, barely missing him, and then fired toward Deputy Wolfe.
The man then came out of the house and fired at Deputy Wolfe again, seriously wounding him. The other deputy came around the house and exchanged several shots with the subject, wounding him.
He was then able to get Deputy Wolfe into the patrol car and met an ambulance that took him to the hospital. Other deputies responded to the scene and took the subject to the hospital as well.
Deputy Wolfe succumbed to his wounds two weeks later. The man died on the day of Deputy Wolfe's funeral.
Deputy Wolfe had served with the Albemarle County Sheriff's Office for 14 years. He was survived by his wife, son, and father.