Ralph Williams Kimbro
Sergeant

Ralph Williams Kimbro

Felonious
End of Watch November 15, 1978
Age 25
Tour of Duty 5 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 120 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Ralph Kimbro was shot and killed while working the overnight shift at the Gateway Division Center at 15 Peachtree Street NE in Atlanta. He was the only officer on duty at the work-release housing facility. A subject shot him in the chest before fleeing from the building. Sergeant Kimbro had served with the Georgia Department of Offender Rehabilitation for 18 months and had previously served with the Tennesee Department of Corrections for four years. He was survived by his wife. Sergeant Kimbro also served as a part-time pastor.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-CCB27258
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.
Sergeant Kimbro gave the Georgia Department of Corrections 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Georgia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Kimbro.

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

Agency

Location Atlanta, GA
Platform Identity gdcorr.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 15, 1978
Tour of Duty 5 yrs 6 mo
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Not available

Sergeant Ralph Williams Kimbro 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Georgia Dept. of Corrections, 16 of 38 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.1% of this agency's fallen.

Georgia Dept. of Corrections
16
of 38 officers
42.1% Felonious
GA — Statewide
548
of 903 officers
60.7% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph Williams Kimbro's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Ralph Williams Kimbro Compares

Age at End of Watch
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Not available

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Williams Kimbro is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ralph Williams Kimbro was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location