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Detective

Robert Roy Aldridge

East St. Louis Police Department — East St. Louis, IL
Felonious
United States flag Illinois flag
End of Watch January 11, 1919
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 82 · Column 3 · Line 18 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 21

Incident

Detective Robert Aldridge died from wounds suffered six weeks earlier after being shot while intervening in an armed robbery and shooting in the 200 block of St. Clair Avenue. Two subjects had robbed a local tavern, leaving the victims standing at the bar with their hands in the air as they escaped out of the front door. The tavern owner and a customer ran after the robbers, engaging in a gun battle in the street as the suspects ran towards the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks. Detective Aldridge was in a tavern next door when he heard the commotion and shooting. As he exited the tavern to investigate he was shot in the leg. Detective Aldridge believed he was accidentally shot by the tavern owner, however the tavern owner stated that Detective Aldridge had been was shot by the fleeing suspects. Detective Aldridge succumbed to his wounds six weeks later.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Aldridge served with the East St. Louis Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the East St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Aldridge.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department East St. Louis Police Department
Type Police Department
Location East St. Louis, IL
Platform Identity eastpd.stclair.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 11, 1919
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1919, 212 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 7th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 43. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

East St. Louis Police Department has 22 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Robert Roy Aldridge

East St. Louis Police Department · End of Watch January 11, 1919

Where the Name Is Cut

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