Isaac Tertullian Kruka
Agency patch
Police Officer

Isaac Tertullian Kruka

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch February 7, 1923
Age 25
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Kruka was shot and killed as he investigated a disturbance in an alley off Gratiot Street. He was ambushed, shot in the back, from a shot fired from a second story window in a nearby apartment building. The 36-year-old suspect was apprehended 10 years later in St. Louis, Missouri. He was participating in a crap game when he made the comment, "a'int had nothing but bad luck ever since that cop got shot in Detroit 10 years ago". Another game participant turned him in for the reward money. The suspect said he was near Officer Kruka when he got shot but denied he did it. There is no record of a trial or a prison sentence.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-1F274876
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 7, 1923
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer Isaac Tertullian Kruka 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 59.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department
177
of 250 officers
70.8% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 718 officers
59.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,756 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Isaac Tertullian Kruka's cause is highlighted.

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

How Isaac Tertullian Kruka Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Isaac Tertullian Kruka is highlighted in Feb.

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.

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

Incident Location