Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Kelly was shot and killed while attempting to arrest and take into custody some suspects at a brothel. At about 3:15 pm Officer Kelly returned to a brothel on Cedar Street to make additional arrests after arresting a male and a female at the location. He had called for transportation from a nearby call box for the two he's arrested. Upon returning to the house, he told the woman running the house to get ready to downtown along with some men on the porch he was also arresting. As he stood in the doorway, he was shot by someone he hadn't seen from a back room. As he tried to exit, he was shot twice more. He flagged down a passing car and despite the gun battle, the two men in the car stopped and picked up Officer Kelly and took him to St. Luke's Hospital. Both men were also seriously wounded. Officer Kelly died from his wounds two days later at 10:00 am. The shooter fled and was captured in New York City on May 7th, 1925. He was returned to Florida, tried, found guilty of first degree murder, and sentenced to be executed.
Survivors
Before the sentence could be carried out he died in the county jail on March 9, 1926 Officer Kelly was survived by his expectant wife, daughter, father, two brothers, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-CAC94704- 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 Kelly gave the Jacksonville Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Kelly.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer William J. Kelly 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Jacksonville Police Department, 25 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William J. Kelly's cause is highlighted.
How William J. Kelly Compares
Offender Outcome
Died in jail
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William J. Kelly is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William J. Kelly was killed by rifle.
Others Who Wore This Badge
32 officers from Jacksonville Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
