Knoxville Police Lieutenant Drowns on North Dakota Hunting Trip

Knoxville Police Department is mourning the loss of Lieutenant Gordon Gwathney, a veteran officer and beloved community figure who drowned during a hunting trip in North Dakota on October 26.

According to the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Gwathney’s kayak tipped over near Woodworth while he was hunting with friends.

Members of the party immediately tried to locate him but were unable to see him after the accident.

Emergency crews from the Carrington Fire Department, Stutsman County Water Rescue, and North Dakota Game and Fish Department responded to the scene.

“This is an incomprehensible loss for our agency and the entire Knoxville community,” said Chief of Police Paul Noel. “Gordon was beloved by our department and so many members of our community. He was a truly exceptional police officer who mentored generations of officers, dedicated his entire life to service, and embodied the true spirit of community policing.”

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon echoed those sentiments, calling him “the friendly, accessible, caring officer who took the time to really get to know the people he served.”

“Our hearts are with his family, friends, and co-workers as we grieve his untimely death,” Kincannon said.

A Sevier County native, Gwathney served in the U.S. Army, including a deployment to Korea, and later joined the Tennessee National Guard before entering law enforcement.

He joined the Knoxville Police Department in 1997, rising to Sergeant in 2003 and Lieutenant in 2010. Throughout his career, he remained devoted to patrol work in East Knoxville, where residents knew him simply as “Officer G.”

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Gwathney became the department’s first School Resource Officer at Austin-East High School, forming lasting bonds with students and families. His dedication to community policing earned him KPD Officer of the Year in 2013 and another nomination in 2019.

Known for his humble, down-to-earth nature, Gwathney once said in a WATE 6 2021 interview:

“They want you to listen. If you don’t listen, you’re not going to connect. They don’t care if I have a country accent, they just want someone who listens.”

That genuine connection made Officer G a fixture in East Knoxville and a mentor to countless younger officers.

Funeral arrangements are forthcoming, and KPD thanked the multiple North Dakota agencies that assisted at the scene.

While the cause of the kayak’s capsize has not been released, outdoor officials remind waterfowlers and late-season hunters to wear life jackets and carry communication or GPS devices whenever operating small craft in cold, open water.

Hypothermia and gear weight can turn a routine trip into tragedy within minutes.

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