Knoxville Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch Monday, January 31, 1955
Lester Woodrow "Tarzan" Gwinn
Officer Lester Gwinn was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a domestic disturbance call involving a man and his ex-wife. As the officers entered the home the male suspect pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Gwinn in the chest five times. Both officers returned fire killing the suspect.
Officer Gwinn was a World War II veteran. He earned the Silver Star, the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, and marksmanship medals while serving as a sniper in the Pacific. He is survived by his wife and son. He is buried in New Gray Cemetery in Knoxville.
Bio
- Age 40
- Tour 6 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Shot and killed
Most Recent Reflection
View all 10 ReflectionsI knew tarzan gwinn but my memory is fading, can anyone tell me the address of the house he was shot in
cpl
marine corps
October 20, 2015
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