Officer Lance C. Whitaker
Jacksonville Florida Sheriff’s Office
May 15, 2018 – Officer Lance Whitaker was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to another accident scene. His vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree.
Officer E. Paul Morris
Raleigh Mississippi Police Department
May 17, 2018 – Officer Paul Morris was killed in a vehicle crash when his patrol car left the roadway and struck a tree. Upon impact, the car became engulfed in flames.
Officer Robert “Rob” Shawn Pitts, 45
Terre Haute Indiana Police Department
May 4, 2018 – Officer Rob Pitts was shot and killed while assisting with a homicide investigation. As Officer Pitts and detectives approached the suspect’s apartment he opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Pitts.
Deputy Sheriff William J. Gentry, Jr., 40
Highlands County Florida Sheriff’s Office
May 7, 2018 – Deputy William Gentry succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the while responding to an animal abuse call—a homeowner’s cat had been fatally shot with a pellet gun. While Deputy Gentry stood at the suspect’s door waiting to speak with him, the man opened fire, shooting the deputy in the head.
Deputy Gentry is survived by a brother who also serves with the sheriff’s office.
Officer Alex Sable, 37
York City Pennsylvania Police Department
On May 6, 2018, Officer Alex Sable suffered a heart attack during a SWAT water rescue training exercise . Medics at the scene performed CPR, and he was transported to a local hospital where he passed away on May 9th
Officer Sable is survived by his wife and three children.
Agent Joel Alexis Pantojas-Fuente, 41
San Juan Puerto Rico Police Department
May 6, 2018 – Agent Joel Pantojas-Fuente was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting a disabled motorist. He was attempting to push the stranded car onto the shoulder when the passing vehicle struck him, pinning his body beneath the car he was pushing.
Agent Pantojas-Fuente is survived by two sons and his wife, who also serves as a San Juan police officer.
Deputy Inspector General Richard Hale, 46
Texas Juvenile Justice Department – Office of Inspector General
May 9, 2018 – Deputy Inspector General Richard Hale was killed in a vehicle crash when his department vehicle collided with an oncoming tractor-trailer. He was returning from a meeting with prosecutors when the head-on crash with the tractor-trailer occurred.
Deputy Inspector General Haleis is survived by his wife and eight children.
Officer Jesus “Chuy” Cordova, 44
Nogales Arizona Police Department
April 27, 2018 – Officer Jesus Cordova was shot and killed while attempting a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by a carjacking suspect. The man exited the vehicle and opened fire, striking Officer Cordova multiple times.
Officer Cordova is survived by his three children and expectant fiancee.
Officer Charles Whites, 63
Round Rock Texas Police Department
April 27, 2018 – Officer Charles Whites succumbed to injuries sustained while directing traffic around the scene of fatal accident on February 25th, 2018. The driver of the vehicle that caused the death of Officer Whites was charged for being intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Officer Whites is survived by his wife and stepson.
Master Deputy James Lester Kirk, 57
Lancaster County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office
April 24, 2018 – Master Deputy James Kirk suffered a fatal heart attack during department combat firearms training. He collapsed just after completing the course, which involved a simulated officer down event in which participants had to engage targets while moving a 125-pound sandbag to a a position of cover.
Deputy Kirk is survived by his wife and four children.
Officer Rogelio Santander, 27
Dallas Texas Police Department
April 25, 2018 – Officer Rogelio Santander succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day. As he and another officer attempted to handcuff a shoplifting suspect, the man produced a handgun and began firing. In addition to fatally wounding Officer Santtander, the shots also wounded the other Dallas officer and a loss prevention officer. Officer Santander passed away the next day.
Corporal Eugene Cole, 61
Somerset County Maine Sheriff’s Office
April 25, 2018 – Corporal Eugene Cole was shot and killed by a man who was out on bond for a previous weapons offense. After killing Deputy Cole, the suspect stole his police vehicle and then robbed a store. He later abandoned the patrol car and remains at large.
Corporal Cole is survived by his son, who also serves with the sheriff’s office.
Detective Sergeant Brian Cuscino, 44
New Castle Pennsylvania Police Department
April 19, 2018 – Detective Sergeant Brian Cuscino suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in the department’s mandatory physical fitness program. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Officer Tamby Yagan, 41
Paterson New Jersey Police Department
April 22, 2018 – Officer Tamby Yagan was killed when his patrol car collided with another vehicle. He is survived by his son.
Deputy Sheriff Casey Shoemate, 26
Miller County Missouri Sheriff’s Office
April 20, 2018 – Deputy Casey Shoemate was killed in a head-on vehicle crash while responding to a structure fire. He is survived by his two children, fiancee, parents, and several siblings.
Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey, 25
Gilchrist County Florida Sheriff’s Office
April 19, 2018 – Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey and Sergeant Noel Ramirez were shot and killed from ambush as they took their lunch break in a local restaurant.
Sergeant Noel Ramirez, 29
Gilchrist County Florida Sheriff’s Office
April 19, 2018 – Sergeant Noel Ramirez and Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey were shot and killed from ambush as they took their lunch break in a local restaurant.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
Officer Sean Gannon, 32
Yarmouth Massachusetts Police Department
April 12, 2018 – Officer Sean Gannon was shot and killed while he and his K-9 assisted with the search of a residence for a wanted man.
Officer Gannon located the suspect in a closet at which time the man opened fire fatally wounding Officer Gannon and wounding Nero, the police K-9.
Patrolman Kevin Crossley, 34
Whitesboro New York Police Department
April 11, 2018 – Patrolman Kevin Crossley was killed in a vehicle crash when a car traveling in the opposite direction made a sudden left turn in front of his patrol car, causing the crash.
Patrolman Crossley is survived by his parents and brother.
Officer Keith Earle, 46
Huntsville Alabama Police Department
April 9, 2018 – Officer Keith Earle succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle crash on March 26th. He’d remained in the hospital until passing away.
Officer Phillip Meacham, 38
Hopkinsville Kentucky Police Department
March 29, 2018 – Officer Phillip Meacham was shot and killed by a man who was impersonating a police officer. The man then stole a truck and fled to nearby Clarksville, Tennessee, where he was was shot and killed during a confrontation with local officers and United States Marshals as they attempted to take him into custody.
Officer Meacham is survived by his wife and two young children.
Trooper First Class Kevin Miller, 49
Connecticut State Police
March 29, 2018 – Trooper Kevin Miller was killed when his patrol car collided with a tractor-trailer.
Special Agent Melissa S. Morrow, 48
United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation
March 22, 2018 – Special Agent Melissa Morrow, a 22-year veteran of the FBI, died as the result of brain cancer that she developed after participating in the search and recovery efforts at the Pentagon following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. She spent ten weeks there recovering and processing evidence.
Agent Morrow is survived by her parents and sister.
*Image of the Connecticut State Police Badge is from the agency’s Facebook page.
Officer Andres Laza-Caraballo, 31
Juncos Municipal Police Department, Puerto Rico
March 21, 2018 – Officer Laza-Caraballo identified himself as a police officer and attempted to intervene when several men attacked the owner of a barber shop he was visiting. Immediately after, several of the subjects entered the shop with rifles and began shooting.
Officer Laza-Caraballo was able to return fire. He killed one of the men and wounded a second before being fatally shot. The other suspects remain at large.
Officer Laza-Caraballo is survived by his two children.
Officer Greggory Casillas, 30
Pomona California Police Department
March 9, 2018 – Officer Gregg Casillas was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a subject who’d fled on foot following a car crash. The suspect ran into a nearby apartment and as Officer Casillas and another officer approached, the man fired through the apartment door, striking both officers.
Officer Casillas succumbed to his wounds after being transported to a local hospital. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Officer Scotty Hamilton
Pikeville Kentucky Police Department
March 13, 2018 – Officer Scotty Hamilton was shot and killed as he and a Kentucky State Police trooper approached an empty, suspicious vehicle. They were searching the area for the occupants of the car, a known drug activity location, when a male suspect shot Officer Hamilton in head.
Officer Hamilton is survived by his wife and child.
*Photo – Pikeville Police Department Facebook page.
Reserve Officer Chris Lawton, 41
Zachary Louisiana Police Department
March 12, 2018 – Reserve Officer Chris Lawton was intentionally struck and killed by a vehicle as he attempted to serve a narcotics-related warrant. The driver/suspect saw Officer Lawton approach the truck and started to drive, pinning the officer against a shopping cart corral.
Officer Lawton, a full-time firefighter with the Zachary Fire Department, served as a part-time, unpaid reserve officer.
Deputy Sheriff David Lee’Sean Manning, 24
Edgecombe County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office
March 11, 2018 – Deputy David Manning was killed in a vehicle crash while in pursuit of a car.
Deputy Manning is survived by his daughter, finance, parents, three brothers, two grandmothers, and a grandfather. He had served as a deputy for four months.
Deputy Sheriff Ryan Zirkle, 24
Marin County California Sheriff’s Office
March 15, 2018 – Deputy Ryan Zirkle was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to a 911 hangup call. He is survived by his fiancée, parents, and two brothers.
Deputy Sheriff Jacob M. Pickett, 34
Boone County Indiana Sheriff’s Office
March 2, 2018 – Deputy Jake Pickett succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained while in foot pursuit of a wanted subject. As he rounded a corner, the suspect fired, striking Deputy Pickett in the head. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30
Clinton Missouri Police Department
March 6, 2018 – Officer Christopher Morton was shot and killed after responding to a 911 call. Upon arrival at the home, a man opened fire on the three responding officers, wounding all three. Officer Morton succumbed to the gunshot wounds after being transported to an area hospital. He is survived by his parents and siblings.
Deputy Sheriff Alexis “Thunder” Eagle Locklear, 24
Scotland County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office
March 1, 2018 – Deputy Alexis Locklear was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to assist another officer. He is survived by his 4-year-old child.
Officer Rodney Scott Smith, 45
Hickman Kentucky Police Department
March 2, 2018 – Officer Rodney Smith drowned when his patrol car was washed into a flooded field. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and mother.
Finally, I’m sad to report the law enforcement community lost a true leader this week, a larger-than-life, fearless man who’s smile brightened the darkest of rooms. He was an inspiration to me. My daughter loved him. He was a role model to her.
He and I once fought back-to-back to survive an attack by numerous bad guys, together we faced gunfire, and he and I once tangled with a couple of extremely large and quite strong men intent on doing us harm—we won.
He was always there for me and I for him. Although it’s been 22 years since I last saw him, the sadness is today.
Major, you’ll be missed by many. Thank you for being my friend.
