Los Angeles Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 27, 1989
Age: 49
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 11755
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 1, 1970
Weapon Used: Rifle; 7.62 mm
Suspect Info: Convicted
Detective Key succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on June 1, 1970, while serving a search warrant on a narcotics suspect. He was shot by suspect with a 7mm rifle bullet that passed through the front door and hit him in the spinal cord, rendering him a quadraplegic. The suspect was shot multiple times by other officers and taken into custody, convicted, and later released.
Detective Key had served with the agency for 9 years at the time of the shooting. He was survived by his wife, son, parents, sister and brother.