Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Roman Steinke and Detective Jeremiah Lucey were fatally wounded at 2705 W. Diversey Avenue by the owner of a laundry they were attempting to arrest. The detectives had gone to the laundry and attempted to arrest the laundry owner for slapping a boy. The man claimed he did not know that Detective Steinke and Detective Lucey were police officers but instead thought the plainclothes officers had come into his shop to beat him. After the shooting, the man had barricaded himself in the laundry and held 150 policemen at bay for 30 minutes before he was captured. He was also critically wounded in the battle and died in the hospital 10 weeks later. Detective Roman Steinke succumbed to his wounds and died one week later. Detective Steinke had served with the Chicago Police Department for 13 years and was assigned to the Shakespeare District.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-821E8758- 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.
Detective Steinke gave the Chicago Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Steinke.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Roman C. Steinke 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 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 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roman C. Steinke's cause is highlighted.
How Roman C. Steinke Compares
Offender Outcome
Deceased
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roman C. Steinke is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Roman C. Steinke was killed by shotgun; 16 gauge.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
570 officers from Chicago Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
