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Isaac Tertullian Kruka
Agency patch
Police Officer

Isaac Tertullian Kruka

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch February 7, 1923
Age 25
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 249

Incident

Officer Kruka was shot and killed as he investigated a disturbance in an alley off Gratiot Street. He was ambushed, shot in the back, from a shot fired from a second story window in a nearby apartment building. The 36-year-old suspect was apprehended 10 years later in St. Louis, Missouri. He was participating in a crap game when he made the comment, "a'int had nothing but bad luck ever since that cop got shot in Detroit 10 years ago". Another game participant turned him in for the reward money. The suspect said he was near Officer Kruka when he got shot but denied he did it. There is no record of a trial or a prison sentence.

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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 Kruka gave the Detroit Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kruka.

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

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 7, 1923
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1923, 199 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Isaac was 25. 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. Isaac had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Isaac among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Isaac Tertullian Kruka

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch February 7, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-E

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