United States General Services Administration - Federal Protective Service, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Wednesday, January 24, 1979
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 24, 1979
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Found incompetent
Officer Robert Timberlake was shot and killed with his own service weapon while dealing with a transient in the lobby of the Tampa Federal Building in Tampa, Florida.
The subject had entered an elevator and Officer Timberlake followed him in. While in the elevator a struggle ensued and the suspect gained control of Officer Timberlake's .38 caliber handgun and shot him several times. The subject was severely wounded by other federal agents when the elevator doors opened.
The man was found incompetent to stand trial and was sent to the state mental hospital in Chattahoochee until ruled competent enough to stand trial, which occurred in 1980. He received prison sentences of 20 years for each attempted murder and 5 years for each assault, to be served concurrently with his time in the hospital.
The Tampa Federal Building was renamed the Timberlake Federal Building in Officer Timberlake's memory.