Robert Lee Timberlake Jr.

United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service — Washington, DC

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 24, 1979

Age 56

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 121 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Officer Robert Timberlake was shot and killed with his own service weapon while dealing with a transient in the lobby of the Tampa Federal Building at 500 East Zach Street in Tampa, Florida. The subject had entered an elevator, and Officer Timberlake followed him at 9:45 a.m. While in the elevator, a struggle ensued, and the suspect gained control of Officer Timberlake's .38 caliber handgun and shot him several times. The subject was severely wounded by other federal agents when the elevator doors opened. The man was found incompetent to stand trial and was sent to the state mental hospital in Chattahoochee until he was ruled competent enough to stand trial, which occurred in 1980. He received prison sentences of 20 years for each attempted murder and 5 years for each assault, to be served concurrently with his time in the hospital. Officer Timberlake was a United States Army veteran who had served with the United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service for eight years and previously served with the Akron (Ohio) Police Department for 12 years. He was survived by his wife, three children, and mother. The Tampa Federal Building was renamed the Timberlake Federal Building in Officer Timberlake's memory.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three children, and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-5ED8DAD6
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Timberlake gave the United States General Services Administration 8 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service

Type Federal Agency

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usgsafpsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 24, 1979

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Robert Lee Timberlake Jr. served in the the United States military (1941â1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Robert Lee Timberlake 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious