By Sarah Calams
Police1
SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — A Tennessee sheriff has died from injuries sustained during a fall, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Sumner County Sheriff Roy “Sonny” Weatherford took a fall and sustained a severe head injury while attending the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association Conference, according to the page. He died on Aug. 2.
Weatherford had served with the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office for 39 years and had served as sheriff for 14 years, according to the page. He is survived by his wife, two sons, four grandchildren and three siblings.
Officer Chris DeLong, 29, had served the Columbia Police Department as an officer since 2025 after graduating from the Criminal Justice Academy
Nashville officers first came in contact with the man when he threatened to kill a gas station clerk; they negotiated with him for more than an hour before the fatal shots were fired
August 31, 2026 11:28 AM
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Security camera video showed the man breaking vehicle windows and chasing bystanders with the bat before officers responded and instructed him to drop it
August 31, 2026 12:34 PM
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The Cherokee County deputy was run over while he performed a traffic stop; he returned to his vehicle and chased down the suspect, ultimately helping to arrest him