Incident
Police Officer Robert Kearse suffered a fatal asthma attack while en route to an alarm call at 9:00 p.m.
Earlier in the evening, Officer Kearse had responded to a disturbance at a park where he and other officers broke up multiple fights. Immediately afterward, he checked in with dispatch and was winded. While on his way to an alarm call, he called dispatch in distress at 18th Avenue and Wynnton. Officers arrived on the scene and found him unresponsive. Despite life-saving measures, he was unable to be revived.
Officer Kearse was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Columbus Police Department for eight months.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtp82d5de04sz3d4fbaq8- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Robert 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.
Police Officer Kearse served with the Columbus Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Robert Tyrone Kearse Sr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1985â1986) before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Illness
Columbus Police Department has lost 26 officers; 1 of them lost to illness.
Robert is one of 63 officers lost to illness in GA, 7% of the 905 remembered there.
Robert is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Robert is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2006, 1 officer in GA was lost to illness, the 4th heaviest of 7 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 43.
In 2006, 9 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 24th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2006, 10 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 44th heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Robert was 39. Of the 62 lost to illness in GA whose age is recorded, half were between 42.3 and 57; the middle age was 54. Robert had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 21.5 years.
Robert was 39. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Robert had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Robert was 39. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Robert had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
May holds 1.6% of these deaths in GA; September holds the most, 30.2%. Thursdays: 23.8%.
May holds 6.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Thursdays: 15.7%.
May holds 6.7% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Thursdays: 15.2%.
How
Illness deaths account for 3.8% of all 26 deaths at Columbus Police Department, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7% of all 905 deaths in GA, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
His people
Columbus Police Department has 26 officers remembered here, Robert among them.
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Matthew W. Murphy
Dec 26, 1874
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Richard M. Adams Oct 14, 1896
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Charlie J. Roberts Oct 14, 1896
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William Jackson Oct 14, 1896
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N. G. Osborn Jan 31, 1901
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William S. Elliott Mar 27, 1901
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Marion Marchant Apr 17, 1911
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Nelson Harrison Gibson Sep 12, 1915
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Charles B. Harvey May 20, 1920
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James W. Stokes May 22, 1920
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William G. Pate Feb 5, 1921
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Ernest S. Evans Oct 25, 1935
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Harry C. Gibson
Apr 6, 1943
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Sumpter Burns Nov 6, 1946
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Jack E. Boone, Sr.
Feb 15, 1973
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Robert Gray Vining
Apr 21, 1976
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Billy Ray Watson, Sr.
Dec 28, 1976
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James Neal Bowers
Apr 4, 1979
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Thomas M. Bowen
Mar 11, 1984
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Clois Willard Lamb
Dec 12, 1989
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Shirley Denise Winston
Dec 31, 1990
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Sife Perdue
Jan 5, 1994
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Charles Edward Osborne, Jr.
Aug 8, 1994
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Robert Tyrone Kearse, Sr.
May 11, 2006
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Thomas Keith Slay
Jul 30, 2013
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Richard Arnold McMahan
Oct 13, 2021
Where
Military Service
Robert Tyrone Kearse Sr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1985–1986) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Robert Tyrone Kearse Sr.’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
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