FINAL UPATE: Officer Andrew Delke accepted a plea deal and this case is closed.
UPDATE: Officer Andrew Delke’s trial is set for July 6th, 2021. Please consider donating funds to Andrew and his wife, Kim as they face this upcoming trial.
On July 26, 2018, Officer Andrew Delke chased down a suspect armed with a 9mm semi-automatic weapon. Following his training, Officer Delke told the armed suspect to drop his weapon. But the suspect refused to comply and didn’t drop the gun. Instead, the suspect made the situation worse. The armed suspect kept looking back at Officer Delke, which made him fear that the suspect was about to turn and shoot him or the other officers or innocent civilians nearby. Officer Delke acted to defend himself, his fellow officers, and the community, and now he’s on trial for his life and freedom.
During the preliminary trial, a longtime police trainer said Officer Andrew Delke had done what he was taught to do in response. The Nashville FOP chapter has also spoken out in support of Officer Delke. He acted swiftly in a life-or-death situation against an armed criminal that was exhibiting behavior of a potential active shooter. So why is Officer Delke being attacked and used as a political pawn?
Officer Andrew Delke and his wife, Kim, have already lost so much because of this political charade. Drew has lost his job. They’ve had to sell their house and move in with family. In fact, Officer Delke doesn’t even have enough money to afford a proper suit for court.
A survey of the city of Nashville suggested a large chunk of the population already believed that he was guilty. Officer Delke deserves a fair trial; instead his name has been dragged through the mud and prosecutors have already turned his city against him. How can justice be served if local jurors have already made up their minds against him- even when law enforcement efforts have come out as saying his actions were warranted?
The National Center of Police Defense believes in the American values of due process of “innocent until proven guilty,” and we will continue to provide financial and moral support for Officer Andrew Delke as he faces an ungrateful and misinformed public ahead of his trial.
