Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Robert Card was shot and killed while searching for two armed robbery suspects. A truck driver from a Clinton, Iowa, bottling works company had stopped on Lincoln Highway, about six miles west of Sterling, to assist two young men who asked him to borrow a jack. As the truck driver was retrieving the jack, he was knocked unconscious with a pop bottle. When he came to, both his money and the bandits had disappeared. Despite numerous roadblocks set up by authorities on local highways, the suspects were able to escape. It is believed Patrolman Card had recognized the suspects and while pursuing them, he was shot and killed. Patrolman Card had served with the Sterling Police Department for less than one month. He had previously served with the Illinois State Police for nearly 6½ years as a trooper assigned to District 1 in Sterling.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-D68B4632- Stewardship
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- 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.
Patrolman Card gave the Sterling Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sterling community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Card.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Robert J. Card 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert J. Card's cause is highlighted.
How Robert J. Card Compares
Offender Outcome
Never apprehended
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert J. Card is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert J. Card was killed by gun; unknown type.