The two La Vergne police officers who were shot in the line of duty last year by Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake’s estranged son, John Drake Jr., were awarded Purple Hearts on Wednesday.
The law enforcement Purple Heart is awarded to “department members who are seriously injured in the line of duty, by the direct action of a suspect, and requires hospital treatment for their injury,” according to the La Vergne Police Department.
On October 21, 2023, La Vergne Police Officers Ashley Boleyjack and Gregory Kern were shot by the police chief’s son, who was armed with a handgun at the time, while investigating a stolen vehicle at the Dollar General located at the intersection of Stones River Road and Lake Forest Drive.
Drake Jr. (pictured above) led law enforcement on a three-day manhunt and was added to the TBI’s Most Wanted list after the shooting.
On October 24, 2023, officers found Drake Jr. deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Boleyjack and Kern were honored at a special Purple Heart Ceremony on Wednesday in honor of their sacrifices during the shooting incident on October 21, 2023, marking the first time Purple Hearts have been awarded to La Vergne officers by the American Police Hall of Fame in the department’s history.
“Our officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect their community and as a result suffered physical harm while upholding their oath to protect and serve,” La Vergne Police Chief Christopher Moews said in a statement. “We celebrate their resilience and dedication to this department, this community, and to their own recovery, both mentally and physically.”
While Boleyjack returned to work in January 2024, Kern remains off duty as he continues to recover from his injuries.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
