Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Randy Bell and Detective Ricky Childers were shot and killed transporting a suspect to the police station for questioning. The suspect had earlier shot his girlfriend's 3-year-old child in the face with a rifle and took the child to a fire station. As Detective Bell and Detective Childers were transporting the suspect, he was able to free one of his hands from the handcuffs using a hidden key as the car approached I-275 on Floribraska Avenue. He then reached into the front seat and gained control of one of the detectives' weapons. He shot and killed the driver as he sat in the front seat and the passenger as he was climbing over the back seat in an attempt to get the gun from the suspect. The suspect then obtained his rifle from the trunk of the car and car-jacked another vehicle. He led police on a chase in which he shot and killed Florida State Trooper James B. Crooks. The suspect committed suicide after a standoff at a local gas station. Detective Bell had served with the Tampa Police Department for 21 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-63AE0702- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
21 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Bell gave the Tampa Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Tampa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Bell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Randy Scott Bell 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 97,756 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 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Tampa Police Department, 21 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Randy Scott Bell's cause is highlighted.
How Randy Scott Bell Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Randy Scott Bell is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Randy Scott Bell was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
28 officers from Tampa Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
