Jeremiah Lee
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Jeremiah Lee

Frankfort Police Department — Frankfort, KY
Felonious
End of Watch September 18, 1882
Age 37
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 7 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief Jerry Lee succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained ten days earlier when he responded to a disturbance at the Frankfort Hotel. He was shot moments later when he responded to a second disturbance call between two citizens at the location.

The man who shot him was arrested and charged with murder but acquitted.

On November 2, 1897, the same man shot and killed Deputy Tes Deakins of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Deputy Deakins was attempting to arrest him for shooting another man earlier in the day.

Chief Lee had served with the Frankfort Police Department for at least 11 years. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was preceded in death by four children.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-234A6BAB
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

144 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Chief of Police Lee gave the Frankfort Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Frankfort community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Frankfort, Franklin County, KY
Platform Identity fpd.franklin.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 18, 1882
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Chief of Police Jeremiah 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Frankfort Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Frankfort Police Department
3
of 4 officers
75% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% 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. Jeremiah Lee's cause is highlighted.

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

How Jeremiah Lee Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah Lee was killed by gun; unknown type.

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