Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Donald Kimbrough succumbed to complications of gunshot wounds sustained on August 25th, 1972, while responding to a robbery.
He and his partner, both in plain clothes, were in the area of a methadone clinic when they were informed that two men were shooting at people in the parking lot at the intersection of Belmont Street and Woodward Avenue. As the officers arrived on scene they confronted one of the armed subjects walking from an alley to a car that had just pulled into an adjacent parking lot.
The man complied, but a second subject sitting in the vehicle's driver's seat opened fire with a handgun, striking Officer Kimbrough in the chest. The first subject then picked up the shotgun and fired at Officer Kimbrough's partner. Both officers returned fire as the suspects fled in the car.
Officer Kimbrough was transported to Henry Ford Hospital where it was determined that the bullet had lodged against his spine, causing him paralysis from the waist down. Although confined to a wheelchair, he was able to return to limited duty until being medically retired in 1977. His health continued to deteriorate, and he died of complications of the original gunshot wound on December 7th, 2017.
The two suspects involved in the shooting were never identified and the case remains open.
Officer Kimbrough was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Detroit Police Department for a total of seven years before medically retiring.
Survivors
He is survived by his son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-1FF5A396- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Kimbrough gave the Detroit Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Donald Olson Kimbrough served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Donald Olson Kimbrough 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Olson Kimbrough's cause is highlighted.
How Donald Olson Kimbrough Compares
Offender Outcome
At large
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Olson Kimbrough is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald Olson Kimbrough was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
249 officers from Detroit Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
