Knox County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee
End of Watch: Sunday, July 6, 1947
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 6, 1947
Weapon Used: Handgun; .32 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff Harley Nelson was shot and killed after he and another deputy responded to a shooting call.
A livestock dealer had called authorities after he caught a man tearing down a fence on his property. The subject shot at the dealer when he confronted him. When the deputies arrived the dealer accompanied them to a nearby shack where the subject lived. Deputy Nelson went to the front door as the other deputy went around back.
Several moments later the subject shot Deputy Nelson in the chest, killing him. The other deputy ran around to the front and tried to pull Deputy Nelson's body to their patrol car but was fired at by the subject. The deputy retreated to safety and called for backup. Responding county, city, and state units arrived and were involved in a prolonged shootout with the subject, who was eventually shot and killed inside of the shack.
Deputy Nelson was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII. He was survived by his wife, four daughters, parents, two brothers, and three sisters.