On This Date (July 28) 1912-Officer Theodore Alonzo Tedford
On this date (July 28) 1912 A wife lost a husband, his three sons lost a father, his brother (also a Dallas Officer) lost a brother and Dallas lost a Police Officer.
Officer Theodore (Theo) Alonzo Tedford was shot as he, assigned to the Oak Cliff area and mounted on a horse, responded to an Assault With A Deadly Weapon Offense which occurred near East Ninth Street and Jefferson Boulevard. The offense occurred on July 27, 1912 in the afternoon.
The victim informed Officer Tedford that the suspect, Leonard Potts was armed with a pistol and was hiding in a nearby alley.
Officer Tedford began searching the alley and found the suspect hiding in a nearby bush. Officer Tedford asked the suspect for his name at which time the suspect gave him a fictitious name. Officer Tedford informed him he was under arrest and began to dismount his horse at which time Suspect Potts fired four times striking Officer Tedford three times. Officer Tedford was able to fire two shots at the fleeing suspect before falling to the ground.
Officer Tedford was transported to Saint Paul Sanitarium where he died as a result of his injuries the day after the offense.
An investigation disclosed Suspect Potts had fled to the Clarksville, Texas area and the Sheriff of Red River County, Charles Stephens was notified of the suspect’s probable location.
Sheriff Stephens went to the area provided, located Suspect Potts.
Suspect Potts shot and killed Sheriff Stephens and fled the scene.
A posse was formed and a large area search was conducted. During the search Suspect Potts was located and fired several shots at the posse. One of the members of the posse returned fire and shot and killed Suspect Potts.
Officer Theodore A. Tedford’s brother Alex, a Dallas Police Officer, was also killed in the line of duty.
Officer Theodore Alonzo Tedford is interred at Oak Cliff Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.