Rosario Joseph Collura
Agency patch
Police Officer

Rosario Joseph Collura

Milwaukee Police Department — Milwaukee, WI
Felonious
End of Watch March 19, 1985
Age 39
Tour of Duty 18 yrs 5 mo
The Vigil Panel 129 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Rosario Collura and Officer Leonard Lesnieski were shot and killed when they interrupted a drug deal while on patrol. They observed four men in an alley and stopped to question them. They had patted down three of the suspects and were patting down the fourth suspect when the man produced a gun and shot both officers in the chest. The suspect fled but was later apprehended. The suspect was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life terms. On November 16, 2010, he was sentenced to an additional 40 years for attacking and seriously injuring two correctional officers with a hammer. Officer Collura had served with the agency for 18 and a half years.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Collura gave the Milwaukee Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milwaukee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Collura.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI
Platform Identity mpd.milwaukee.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 19, 1985
Tour of Duty 18 yrs 5 mo
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Rosario is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1985, 99 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 52nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Rosario was 39. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Rosario had served 18.4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Milwaukee Police Department has 69 officers remembered here, Rosario among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Rosario Joseph Collura

Milwaukee Police Department · End of Watch March 19, 1985

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-W

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