Thomas E. Kittinger

Roanoke City Police Department — Roanoke, VA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 29, 1961

Age 32

The Vigil Panel 96 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 14

Incident

Detective Thomas Kittinger was killed when he was intentionally dragged by a man wanted on a moral charge. Detective Kittinger was off-duty when he spotted the man near Jefferson High School. When he reached into the vehicle, the man rolled the window up on his arms and began to drive away, dragging him several blocks. He was thrown to the ground when the suspect crashed the car into a second vehicle. The 23-year-old driver was arrested and charged with murder. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years. Detective Kittinger was a United States Army veteran who had been promoted to detective two months earlier with the Roanoke City Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and 10-year-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-D61FD10D
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Thomas is one person.

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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.
Detective Kittinger served with the Roanoke City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Roanoke community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Roanoke City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Roanoke, VA

Platform Identity roanpd.roanoke.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 29, 1961

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Thomas E. Kittinger served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Thomas E. Kittinger 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 VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Roanoke City Police Department, 12 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Roanoke City Police Department

of 15 officers

80% Felonious

VA — Statewide

394

of 655 officers

60.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious