In the winter of 1978, a young life dedicated to service was tragically cut short in Nashville, Tennessee. Officer Edward L. Tarkington, a 22-year-old African American male serving with the Metro Nashville Police Department, was responding to a residential burglary call on the evening of December 17th. With just over a year of service under his belt, Officer Tarkington was speaking with the victim at the scene located at 12th Avenue North and Jo Johnston Avenue when the situation took a fatal turn.
A neighbor of the burglary victim emerged and began a heated argument with Officer Tarkington. This was not the first encounter between the two men; the officer had previously arrested the neighbor on two separate occasions for operating illegal gambling games. The confrontation escalated dramatically when the neighbor produced a. 45 caliber handgun. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Officer Tarkington was struck in the neck.
Despite being wounded himself in the shootout, the suspect survived. However, the community and the Metro Nashville Police Department were left to mourn the loss of a dedicated officer. The man responsible for Officer Tarkington's death was never convicted of his murder. His only legal consequence stemming from the fatal encounter was a one-year federal sentence for being a felon in possession of a weapon. Officer Tarkington was survived by his wife, mother, and a brother who would later follow in his footsteps and become an officer with the same department.
