David Lee
Agency patch
Police Officer

David Lee

Felonious
End of Watch September 22, 2024
Age 44
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 183 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer David Lee was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting at a crash scene on eastbound I-70, just east of the Adelaide Avenue exit, shortly after 8:45 am.

He was setting out flares when an approaching vehicle struck him. The driver was speeding on a wet road when he started to spin and lost control of his car. During the spin, he hit Officer Lee, pinning him between the driver's vehicle and another vehicle before the impact threw him several feet.

Officer Lee was transported to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

The 24-year-old driver, who was in the United States illegally and was on probation for a domestic battery conviction, was apprehended. He was charged with the DWI death of a law enforcement officer, exceeding the posted speed limit, and operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license. In 2026, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Officer Lee had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-B750FA68
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Lee gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Lee.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 22, 2024
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Vehicular assault
Weapon Automobile

Police Officer David Lee is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
112
of 176 officers
63.6% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Lee's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How David Lee Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
18
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David Lee is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David Lee was killed by automobile.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location