James Ronco

Tampa Police Department — Tampa, FL

Felonious

End of Watch May 27, 1916

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 31 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 28

Incident

Officer Ronco was shot and killed by a female prisoner who had just escaped from the police station. While he was transporting her back to jail she grabbed his gun and shot him twice. He was able to regain control of the weapon and shot and killed the suspect as well. It was determined that the suspect was under the influence of heroin and cocaine.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-498D063C
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 Ronco served with the Tampa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tampa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ronco.

— 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 May 27, 1916

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Police Officer James Ronco 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Tampa Police Department, 21 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.4% of this agency's fallen.

Tampa Police Department

of 29 officers

72.4% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious