Thomas E. Kittinger

Roanoke City Police Department — Roanoke, VA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 29, 1961

Age 32

The Vigil Panel 96 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice 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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
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

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

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Military Service

Thomas E. Kittinger served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Detective Thomas E. Kittinger 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 VA, 395 of 654 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 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

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious