Incident
Trooper Nicholas Hopkins was shot and killed while serving a search warrant at a home at 1426 North 42nd Street and Caseyville Avenue in East St. Louis, Illinois.
He and other members of the Emergency Response Team were making entry into the home at 5:30 am when he was shot by an occupant during an exchange of gunfire.
The subject plead guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Trooper Hopkins had served with the Illinois State Police for 10 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, children, and brother.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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 Hopkins gave the Illinois State Police 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Hopkins.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Illinois State Police has lost 67 officers; 17 of them killed feloniously.
Nicholas is one of 842 officers killed feloniously in IL, 63.9% of the 1,318 remembered there.
Nicholas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Nicholas is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2019, 2 officers at Illinois State Police were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.
In 2019, 4 officers in IL were killed feloniously, the 69th heaviest of 154 years on record. The heaviest was 1924, with 22.
In 2019, 64 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 117th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 2019, 66 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 117th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Nicholas was 33. Of the 17 killed feloniously at Illinois State Police whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 45; the middle age was 35. Nicholas had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 9 years.
Nicholas was 33. Of the 762 killed feloniously in IL whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 45; the middle age was 38. Nicholas had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Nicholas was 33. 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. Nicholas had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Nicholas was 33. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Nicholas had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
August holds 5.9% of these deaths at Illinois State Police; June holds the most, 23.5%. Fridays: 11.8%.
August holds 9.4% of these deaths in IL; July holds the most, 10.3%. Fridays: 14.6%.
August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.
August holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Fridays: 14.3%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 25.4% of all 67 deaths at Illinois State Police, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 5.9% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 63.9% of all 1,318 deaths in IL, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 5.9% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 8.5% of these deaths.
His people
Illinois State Police has 67 officers remembered here, Nicholas among them.
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Albert J. Hasson
Sep 7, 1924
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Lory Lee Price
Jan 18, 1927
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Paul Ellis Clendening Feb 16, 1927
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George E. Wheeler Nov 22, 1927
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Robert L. Fisher
Apr 24, 1929
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Robert Jefferson McDonald Jul 10, 1930
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Frank M. Schwartz
Sep 11, 1930
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Kenneth Lewis Church
Dec 5, 1931
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James Grady Sutton Jun 30, 1932
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Richard Groja
May 28, 1933
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John L. McCabe Aug 12, 1933
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Joseph Merritt Elliott Oct 20, 1933
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Leo James LaVelle
Nov 24, 1934
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Raymond Embree Oct 15, 1936
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Frank J. Tamulis Aug 9, 1937
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Albert Cecil Brokmyer
Nov 19, 1939
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Eugene F. Roberts Feb 18, 1940
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Rocco Vito Gragido
Sep 11, 1940
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Ralph Ross Newman Aug 20, 1941
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Robert Richard Thomas May 15, 1942
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Phillip B. Guinto Aug 5, 1943
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Charles Joseph Deans Aug 8, 1944
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Sam Mangiamele May 25, 1945
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Marvin C. Archer
Jun 18, 1946
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Forrest Ferrell Spencer
Oct 27, 1946
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George Louis Fredrickson
Sep 1, 1947
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Roy Kyle Moody
Feb 28, 1949
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Benjamin R. Seaton
Oct 24, 1949
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Arthur Paul Goetting Feb 4, 1951
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Corwin Lynn McConkey
Mar 8, 1951
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Millard Russell Courtney
Apr 11, 1951
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Glenn David Gagnon
Dec 28, 1952
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Harry Ballard Bradley
Oct 24, 1957
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Leo S. Burakowski Sep 24, 1958
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Clarence Uen Swain Aug 1, 1959
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Michael Theodore Angelos Jul 13, 1960
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Dale August Van Vooren
Dec 29, 1962
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Frank A. Doris
May 27, 1967
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Warren Louis Allen
Sep 21, 1967
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Floyd James Farrar
Dec 17, 1968
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Richard G. Warner
Apr 21, 1969
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Donald R. Blickensderfer Sep 26, 1970
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Frank Robert Dunbar
May 14, 1972
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Layton T. Davis
Mar 18, 1976
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George D. Craggs
Nov 6, 1976
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Michael Keith McCarter
Apr 7, 1979
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Bernard Delano Skeeters
May 20, 1982
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John Hugh Kugelman
Nov 10, 1986
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Virgil Lee Bensyl
Jan 15, 1988
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Gary Robert Degelman
May 5, 1989
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April C. Styburski
Jan 5, 1990
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Chong Soo Lim
Jun 6, 1995
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Anthony Millison
Oct 27, 1997
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Erin Marie Hehl
Oct 30, 1997
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Stanley W. Talbot
Jun 23, 2001
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Rodney Todd Miller
May 12, 2006
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Brian Carl McMillen
Oct 28, 2007
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Kyle William Deatherage
Nov 26, 2012
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James Michael Sauter
Mar 28, 2013
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Ryan Matthew Albin
Jun 28, 2017
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Christopher James Lambert
Jan 12, 2019
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Brooke Elizabeth Jones-Story
Mar 28, 2019
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Gerald Wayne Ellis
Mar 30, 2019
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Nicholas John Hopkins
Aug 23, 2019
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Todd Anthony Hanneken
Mar 25, 2021
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Corey S. Thompsen
Oct 18, 2024
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Clay M. Carns
Dec 23, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 41-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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