Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Key succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on June 1, 1970, while serving a search warrant on a narcotics suspect. He was shot by suspect with a 7mm rifle bullet that passed through the front door and hit him in the spinal cord, rendering him a quadraplegic. The suspect was shot multiple times by other officers and taken into custody, convicted, and later released. Detective Key had served with the agency for 9 years at the time of the shooting.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, parents, sister and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-2291EF42- 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.
Detective Key gave the Los Angeles Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Key.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Kelly Key III served in the U.S. Air Force (1959â1963) before joining law enforcement.
Detective Kelly Key III 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Los Angeles Police Department, 115 of 240 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Kelly Key III's cause is highlighted.
How Kelly Key III Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Kelly Key III is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Kelly Key III was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Military Service
Kelly Key III served in the U.S. Air Force (1959–1963) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Kelly Key III’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
239 officers from Los Angeles Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
