Kevin Darrell Rice, Sr.

Rockford Police Department — Rockford, IL

Felonious

End of Watch August 3, 2001

Age 38

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

The Vigil Panel 148 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Detective Kevin Rice was shot and killed while investigating suspicious activity in his sister's neighborhood while he was off duty.

He was returning from his new home, which was under construction, to his sister's home at approximately 1:30 am when he observed two suspicious men. He turned his vehicle around and drove up to them to investigate what they were doing. One of the men immediately pulled out a .380 semi-automatic handgun and shot Detective Rice six times in the chest. He was found with his foot still on the brake pedal.

A 19-year-old gang member was apprehended the next day. He had just been released from custody four months earlier for a murder he committed when he was 12-years-old. He was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Detective Rice had served with the Rockford Police Department for 14 years and was assigned to the Gang Unit.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-2FE26EEB
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Rice gave the Rockford Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rockford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Rice.

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

Agency

Department Rockford Police Department

Type Other

Location Rockford, IL

Platform Identity rockfordpd.winnebago.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 3, 2001

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; .380 caliber

Detective Kevin Darrell Rice, Sr. is one of 17,558 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,585 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

At Rockford Police Department, 7 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 87.5% of this agency's fallen.

Rockford Police Department

of 8 officers

87.5% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,558

of 32,585 officers

53.9% Felonious