Kenneth W. Pendergraft

Fort Worth Police Dept. — Fort Worth, TX

Felonious

End of Watch April 8, 1980

Age 34

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Badge 802

The Vigil Panel 122 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 58

Incident

Officer Kenneth Pendergraft was shot and killed after confronting a suspect who was dumping garbage on his driveway at 7216 Winters in Fort Worth. Officer Pendergraft approached the driver and asked him not to dump garbage on his driveway. The suspect left but came back a short time later and opened fire with a .44 magnum pistol, killing Officer Pendergraft. Before he died, Officer Pendergraft was able to return fire, killing the suspect. Officer Pendergraft had served with the Fort Worth Police Department for 12 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, and two brothers, who also served with the Fort Worth Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-52C972B2
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Pendergraft gave the Fort Worth Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Worth community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Pendergraft.

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

Agency

Department Fort Worth Police Dept.

Location Fort Worth, TX

Platform Identity fwpd.tarrant.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 8, 1980

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 34

Badge Number 802

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .44 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Officer Kenneth W. Pendergraft is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Fort Worth Police Dept., 33 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.9% of this agency's fallen.

Fort Worth Police Dept.

of 59 officers

55.9% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious