In the summer of 1978, a domestic disturbance call in Chattanooga, Tennessee, ended in a hail of gunfire that would ultimately claim the lives of two police officers and the suspect. On Thursday, June 15, 1978, Chattanooga Police Department officers David L. Friederichsen and Nelson Hess responded to the call. Within two minutes of their arrival, the man at the center of the disturbance opened fire on them.
Both officers were struck by bullets from a. 38 caliber handgun. Officer Hess was killed at the scene, his life extinguished in an instant. Officer Friederichsen, a 29-year-old male who had served with the department for four years, was gravely wounded. In the exchange of gunfire, the suspect was also shot and killed.
Officer Friederichsen was rushed to a local hospital, where he fought for his life for three days. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, June 18, 1978. He left behind a wife who was expecting their child.
