Prev Next
William J. Kelly
Agency patch
Officer

William J. Kelly

Jacksonville Police Department — Jacksonville, FL
Felonious
United States flag Florida flag
End of Watch September 3, 1924
Age 29
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
The Vigil Panel 111 · Column 1 · Line 20 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 32

Incident

Officer Kelly was shot and killed while attempting to arrest and take into custody some suspects at a brothel. At about 3:15 pm Officer Kelly returned to a brothel on Cedar Street to make additional arrests after arresting a male and a female at the location. He had called for transportation from a nearby call box for the two he's arrested. Upon returning to the house, he told the woman running the house to get ready to downtown along with some men on the porch he was also arresting. As he stood in the doorway, he was shot by someone he hadn't seen from a back room. As he tried to exit, he was shot twice more. He flagged down a passing car and despite the gun battle, the two men in the car stopped and picked up Officer Kelly and took him to St. Luke's Hospital. Both men were also seriously wounded. Officer Kelly died from his wounds two days later at 10:00 am. The shooter fled and was captured in New York City on May 7th, 1925. He was returned to Florida, tried, found guilty of first degree murder, and sentenced to be executed.

Survivors

Before the sentence could be carried out he died in the county jail on March 9, 1926 Officer Kelly was survived by his expectant wife, daughter, father, two brothers, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtphnhadby7by1171s2ss
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Kelly gave the Jacksonville Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Kelly.

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

Agency

Department Jacksonville Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Jacksonville, Duval County, FL
Platform Identity jpd.duval.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 3, 1924
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William 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.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1924, 225 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 4th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 29. 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. William had served 2.4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% 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 rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Jacksonville Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years

Officer William J. Kelly

Jacksonville Police Department · End of Watch September 3, 1924

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 16-E

↑