Retired Chicago SWAT Officer Dies After Being Shot in Line of Duty in Kentucky
Authorities say the deputy was shot while serving emergency guardianship paperwork, and a suspect was killed in the exchange of gunfire.
- Crittenden County Sheriff's Deputy Rick Coyle died Thursday, April 30, 2026, weeks after sustaining gunshot wounds during an April 2 shooting in Sturgis, Kentucky, the sheriff's office announced.
- The shooting occurred April 2 while Deputy Coyle and Kentucky Department of Community Based Services staff served emergency guardianship paperwork at 2807 KY-365, exchanging gunfire with 60-year-old suspect Ronnie Phillips, who was fatally wounded.
- Before joining the sheriff's office two years prior, Coyle served nearly three decades with the Chicago Police Department, participating in about 2,000 SWAT missions. Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison called him 'loyal, steady, and grounded in faith.'
- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the death as 'tough news,' writing, 'Deputy Coyle sacrificed everything protecting our commonwealth, and we are forever grateful to him.'
- Coyle will be laid to rest with full line-of-duty honors and benefits, though funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized, the sheriff's office said.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Deputy killed in shooting to be transported back to Crittenden County
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) -- The Crittenden County sheriff's deputy killed in the line of duty will be transported back home to be laid to rest. According to Ohio County Sheriff Adam Wright, the body Deputy Rick Coyle will return to Crittenden County on Friday. Wright says the escort will go through Ohio County to avoid [...]
Former Chicago police officer dies weeks after being shot in line of duty in Kentucky
A Kentucky sheriff's deputy who previously spent nearly three decades with the Chicago Police Department died weeks after he was shot in the line of duty earlier this month.Deputy Rick Coyle, 58, died at his home Thursday surrounded by family, the Crettenden County Sheriff's Office announced. "He was a beloved member of the Sheriff’s Office,” the sheriff's office wrote. “We are deeply grateful for all of the support we have received from the pub…
Crittenden County sheriff's deputy shot in line of duty dies from injuries - WNKY News 40 Television
CRITTENDEN COUNTY, Ky. – Crittenden County Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Coyle has died due to injuries sustained in the line of duty earlier this month. According to a social media post by Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday, Coyle died due to his injuries after being shot during a law enforcement response in Crittenden County on April 2. Troopers say a preliminary investigation found the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky Department of Comm…
Crittenden County sheriff's deputy dies from shooting injuries
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- The Crittenden County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky says Deputy Rick Coyle passed away due to injuries sustained in the line of duty on April 2. The Sheriff's Office says Deputy Coyle died surrounded by his family. Deputy Coyle worked with the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office for two years, where he served as [...]
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