Joseph J. Kucera Jr.
Agency patch
Special Agent

Joseph J. Kucera Jr.

Felonious
End of Watch April 29, 1929
Age 28
The Vigil Panel 57 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Illinois Incident Date: Sunday, March 10, 1929 Weapon: Person Offender: Not available

Special Agent Joseph Kucera succumbed to injuries suffered seven weeks earlier when he was thrown from a Michigan Central Railroad freight car near East 14th Street in Chicago, Illinois.

He was attempting to eject three men from a railroad car when they attacked him and threw him from the train.

Agent Kucera was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Agent Kucera was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-4F1593A8
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.
Special Agent Kucera served with the Illinois Central Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Kucera.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, IL
Platform Identity icrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 29, 1929
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Person

Special Agent Joseph J. Kucera Jr. 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Illinois Central Railroad Police Department, 10 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois Central Railroad Police Department
10
of 12 officers
83.3% Felonious
IL — Statewide
842
of 1,318 officers
63.9% 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. Joseph J. Kucera Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

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

How Joseph J. Kucera Jr. Compares

Age at Death
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph J. Kucera Jr. is highlighted in Apr.

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. Joseph J. Kucera Jr. was killed by person.

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

Incident Location