William Kenner

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, MO

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch May 7, 1955

Age 60

Tour of Duty 23 yrs

The Vigil Panel 91 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 119

Incident

Patrolman William Kenner was shot and killed as he attempted to disarm a suspect at 1332 East 18th Street in Kansas City. Patrolman Kenner was off duty, drinking coffee at a nearby restaurant, when he heard gunfire. He followed the noise and found the subject standing over another man with a gunshot wound to his foot. Patrolman Kenner ordered the subject to drop his shotgun, but the man turned around and shot him. Patrolman Kenner was transported to General Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds after midnight. The suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison on November 9, 1955. Patrolman Kenner was a United States Army WWI veteran and had served with the Kansas City Police Department for 23 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-50E992F0
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.
Patrolman Kenner gave the Kansas City Police Department 23 years.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City 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 Kansas City Police Department

Location Kansas City, MO

Platform Identity kcpd.jackson.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 7, 1955

Tour of Duty 23 yrs

Age 60

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to 10 years

Military Service

William Kenner served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman William Kenner 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Kansas City Police Department, 72 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Kansas City Police Department

of 120 officers

60% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious