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 public and surrounding communities during this difficult time.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described Coyle’s death as “tough news” and expressed appreciation for his service in an X post.
“Deputy Coyle sacrificed everything protecting our commonwealth, and we are forever grateful to him,” Beshear wrote. “Please join Britainy and me as we pray for his family and fellow officers during this difficult time.”
On April 2, Coyle was among deputies from the sheriff’s office, along with staff from the Kentucky Department of Community Based Services, serving emergency guardianship paperwork in Sturgis, Kentucky when a shootout with 60-year-old suspect Ronnie Phillips, according to Kentucky state police.
Phillips was fatally wounded and Coyle was initially airlifted to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana where he was in critical condition, state police said.
Coyle served as a deputy for the last two years and was the school resource officer for Crettenden County High School, the sheriff’s office said.
“He served with courage, honor and a steadfast commitment to protecting others,” Kentucky state police said in a statement.
Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison was a close friend of Coyle’s for over 40 years after the two met at Brother Rice High School.
“Rick was one of those rare men you could count on without hesitation. Loyal, steady, and grounded in faith, he lived his life with quiet strength and real purpose,” Morrison wrote in a statement. “He dedicated himself to law enforcement, serving the people of Chicago and later his new home in Kentucky with honor and integrity. He didn’t do it for recognition. He did it because that’s who he was.”
A former CPD commander and close friend told WGN-TV Coyle graduated from the police academy in 1991 and started his career serving in the 7th District Englewood and moved to the Special Operations Section in 1998 before joining the SWAT team where he was estimated to have been part of about 2,000 missions during his time with the department.
The sheriff’s office said Coyle will be laid to rest with full line of duty honors and benefits. Funeral arrangements have not been finalized.
“Rick was more than the badge. He was a friend through decades of life, someone who stood by you, who you could trust, and who made an impact just by being himself,” Morrison wrote.