Deputy Sheriff Matthew Locke
Officer: Hardin County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Sheriff Matthew Locke
Date:9/25/2021 Location: Clifton, TN FACTORS (1,2,13,15,18,19)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Todd Alan Stricklin
Criminal Activity History/Involved: None stated./Yes, Stricklin was committing domestic violence against a woman.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/48
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 8:30 p.m. on September 25, 2021, officerss responded to a 911 call of domestic violence at a residential home. Upon arrival at the house the officers observed the suspect, Todd Stricklin armed with a handgun and ordered him to drop it.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Stricklin refused to comply with their orders to drop his weapon, and when he saw Deputy Locke approaching his home to assist the other officers, Stricklin shot the deputy, killing him. After shooting Deputy Locke, Stricklin ran off into the woods.
Reactions by the police: After an intense search involving several law enforcement agencies, Stricklin was found and taken into custody without further incident.
How murdered? Deputy Locke was fatally shot while assisting other officers with a violent domestic dispute.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? When the officers encountered Stricklin and saw he was armed, they should have used deadly force or if they were behind cover, they could have given him one warning and used such force quickly thereafter when he did not immediately comply.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Yes, the officers were justified to use deadly force immediately upon seeing Stricklin armed with a handgun.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Stricklin was arrested, charged with first-degree murder and may be facing the death penalty if convicted.
Miscellaneous: There is very little reported about Stricklin’s criminal record or mental health history.
