Suzanne Lee Kays
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Suzanne Lee Kays

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch January 4, 1989
Age 33
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Gender Female

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Kays was shot and killed with her own weapon after being attacked by a homeless man who had just been released from jail. Deputy Kays was escorting the man from the Lew Sterrett Justice Center when he suddenly turned and punched her, knocking her to the ground. He continued to strike her on the ground and took her gun while they struggled. He then shot and killed her before running toward the booking area, where he was confronted by several Dallas Police officers who ordered him to drop the gun. When he refused, he was shot in the legs and groin by an officer with a shotgun. The subject was found incompetent to stand trial and sent to a Texas mental institution. He was sentenced to two life terms. He died in prison. Deputy Kays was a United States Army veteran and had graduated from her academy class only one week before the incident and was on her second shift. She had been in law enforcement for four years. The Suzanne L. Kays Detention Facility was named in her honor.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Suzanne is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Kays gave the Dallas County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, sister.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Dallas, Dallas County, TX
Platform Identity dcso.dallas.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 4, 1989
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 33
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Suzanne Lee Kays served in the U.S. Army (1975–1979) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Suzanne 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1989, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Suzanne was 33. 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. Suzanne had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where she 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%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Dallas County Sheriff's Department has 20 officers remembered here, Suzanne among them.

VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Lee Kays

Dallas County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch January 4, 1989

Military Service

Suzanne Lee Kays served in the U.S. Army (1975–1979) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Suzanne Lee Kays’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 2-E

Also Remembered

salute.nw →

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