James Bradford-Jean Crooks
Agency patch
Trooper

James Bradford-Jean Crooks

Florida Highway Patrol — Tallahassee, FL
Felonious
End of Watch May 19, 1998
Age 23
Tour of Duty 9 mo
Badge 1777
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper James Crooks was shot and killed while he was involved in a chase of a suspect who had just killed two Tampa detectives, Detectives Randy Bell and Ricky Childers. Trooper Crooks was attempting to stop the suspect, who had just car-jacked another driver, on I-75 just south of State Road 54 in Pasco County when gunfire erupted. Trooper Crooks was struck in the head before exiting his cruiser. The suspect then fled the scene and holed up in a gas station for several hours before committing suicide. Trooper Crooks had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for nine months.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and fiancee.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
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.
Trooper Crooks served with the Florida Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of Florida. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Crooks.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Tallahassee, Leon County, FL
Platform Identity fhp.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 19, 1998
Tour of Duty 9 mo
Age 23
Badge Number 1777
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1998, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 23. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% 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 rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Florida Highway Patrol has 54 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper James Bradford-Jean Crooks

Florida Highway Patrol · End of Watch May 19, 1998

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-W

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