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David Lamar Curtis
Agency patch
Officer

David Lamar Curtis

Tampa Police Department — Tampa, FL
Felonious
United States flag Florida flag
End of Watch June 29, 2010
Age 31
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 159 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 28

Incident

Officer David Curtis and Police Officer Jeffrey Kocab were shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest at a traffic stop at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 50th Street.

Officer Curtis stopped a vehicle because it did not have a visible license plate. He called for an additional unit to assist him because a male passenger in the car was wanted on a misdemeanor charge for writing a worthless check. When Officer Kocab arrived, he and Officer Curtis attempted to arrest the suspect. The suspect drew a weapon and shot both officers at close range.

A witness called 911 to report the shooting. Officer Kocab died shortly after arriving at the hospital and Officer Curtis was pronounced dead a few hours later.

The suspect surrendered and was taken into custody four days later. He was charged with five counts of first degree murder when it was determined he had committed three other murders in Tampa. On November 15th, 2013, he was convicted of murdering both officers and the jury subsequently recommended he receive the death penalty. He was formally sentenced to death on May 30th, 2014.

Officer Curtis had served with the Tampa Police Department for three years and eight months and had previously served with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, four young sons, parents, and twin sister.

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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Curtis gave the Tampa Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tampa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Curtis.

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

Agency

Department Tampa Police Department
Type Other
Location Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL
Platform Identity tpd.hillsborough.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 29, 2010
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 8 mo
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

David is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2010, 80 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 84th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

David was 31. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. David had served 3.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Tampa Police Department has 29 officers remembered here, David among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer David Lamar Curtis

Tampa Police Department · End of Watch June 29, 2010

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-E

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