Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Robert Kirk suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to the scene of an automobile accident in which a car had ruptured a major natural gas utility line.
He and other officers evacuated several nearby buildings and homes and then assisted at the scene of the accident. He began to suffer chest and back pains and was transported to a local hospital. Doctors checked his heart and lungs and then released him, but he collapsed as he walked out of the hospital.
Patrolman Kirk had served with the agency for 10 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WV-DA4459EB- 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.
Patrolman Kirk gave the Fairmont Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fairmont community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Kirk.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Robert Lee Kirk is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In WV, 7 of 232 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Lee Kirk's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Lee Kirk Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Lee Kirk is highlighted in Aug.