Walden Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 15, 1997
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 7, 1988
Weapon Used: Handgun; Derringer
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Patrolman Gary Dockery succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained eight years earlier when he was shot on September 7th, 1988.
Officer Dockery had responded to a false 911 call by a drunken man who intended to shoot the responding officer. The man was upset about previously being reprimanded by officers following a noise complaint made by neighbors. The man shot Patrolman Dockery Dockery in the head, causing him to lapse into a coma.
He remained in the coma for eight years until suddenly waking on February 11th, 1996, and speaking freely. Although he was paralyzed, he was able to talk and communicate with his family for 18 hours before gradually falling back into a semi-conscious state. He was awaiting physical therapy when he suffered medical complications and died on April 15th, 1997.
The suspect was convicted of shooting Officer Dockery and sent to prison. He was denied parole in September 2001 and died while still incarcerated in May 2006.
Officer Dockery had served with the Walden Police Department for 10 years at the time of the shooting. He was survived by his wife and two sons.