What to know about slain Iowa police officer Kevin Cram and the suspect charged with murder

First-degree murder charges have been brought against a guy from northern Iowa who is suspected of shooting and murdering a police officer on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.

The Iowa State Patrol reports that on September 13, at around 8 p.m., Kyle Lou Ricke, 43, of Algona, shot and killed Algona police officer Kevin Cram in a residence in the 1100 block of South Minnesota Street. According to the authorities, Ricke ran away from the town in Kossuth County, which is why they issued a Blue Alert—a weapon used when a criminal is at large and might endanger law enforcement.

According to a press statement from the Brown County (Minnesota) Sheriff’s Office, Ricke was located just before midnight in rural Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, in Leavenworth Township, some 100 miles north of Algona. He was brought into jail “without incident.”

During a press briefing on Thursday morning, September 14, authorities first named Cram, 33, a 10-year police enforcement veteran, as the officer in question. They also revealed his death.

Regarding Cram’s passing, Ricke faces first-degree murder charges. He is being jailed in the Kossuth County Jail on a $2 million bail after entering a not guilty plea.

Suspect returned to Iowa; $2 million bail was obtained
On September 21, Rick was returned to Kossuth County. That day, he made a brief appearance via video conference, and the court increased his bond from $1 milli

Iowa’s Blue Alert system was established in 2021, but its first use wasn’t until Sept. 13, 2023, when the Iowa Department of Public Safety activated the program after Algona police officer Kevin Cram was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Lt. Heath Hove with the Iowa Department of Public Safety says the department helps coordinate the Blue Alert by gathering the data needed and validating it. From the time Cram was shot, until the Blue Alert was posted to the public — via Facebook — about three hours and 40 minutes had passed.

“It takes time. You’re gathering information and you’re gathering a lot of it and trying to sort through it. I mean, it’s a rapidly evolving situation,” Hove said.

Cram’s funeral draws thousands to Algona school, procession routCram was remembered Sept. 20 as a hero during his funeral — a public servant who made a difference and will be loved forever. An estimated crowd of 1,000 people packed the Algona High School gymnasium to pay their respects to Cram, who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 13, 2023.

Algona police chief Bo Miller shared stories of Cram’s hunting and trapping days that made the crowd laugh during his eulogy. And he left many in the crowd with tears in their eyes by reading from a letter he received after Cram’s death.

“Kevin will always be remembered and loved forever,” Miller read. “His mighty deed kept many, many people safe. He will always be known as a hero.”

Retired Algona police chief Kendall Pals, who hired Cram onto the force in 2015, reminded everyone that Cram was more than a police officer.

“Who is Kevin Cram?” Pals said. “He’s a human being. And a wonderful human being, at that.”

Watch emotional end of watch call for Cram

The funeral for slain Algona police officer Kevin Cram ended Wednesday with a traditional “end of watch” call.

“Officer Cram, your brothers and sisters in law enforcement will forever watch over your family,” the unanswered call from dispatch to Cram said. “Please rest in peace.”

Thousands raised for family of fallen Algona police officer

Schools across Iowa raised money for the family of slain Algona police officer Kevin Cram.

Athletic boosters at several schools around Algona donated $10 for every touchdown scored. Combined, they raised more than $80,000, with many more fundraisers expected in the coming weeks.

Iowa high school adds blue line to midfield logo in honor of slain officer

Humboldt, Algona’s Class 3A rivals located just 25 miles to the south, mowed an American flag design into its football field and added a blue line, representing law enforcement, to its Wildcats logo at midfield.

Humboldt, which traditionally wears blue and yellow, also offered the blue plumes from its marching band headwear to Algona’s band. Algona will wear the blue plumes on top of their red and black headwear.

The two teams face off in Algona on Oct. 6.

Cram’s body escorted home to Algona

Authorities on Friday escorted slain police officer Kevin Cram’s body back to Algona from the State Medical Examiner’s in Ankeny.

Cram, 33, a 10-year veteran of law enforcement and 8-year member of the Algona force, was shot Wednesday night while trying to make an arrest.

Friday’s procession left Ankeny around 9:30 a.m. on the two-hour trip to Algona. The 40-plus vehicles in the convoy passed by hundreds of Iowans who gathered on bridges and side streets along the route, saluting and waving flags to honor Cram.

Memorial fund created for Cram family

A memorial fund has been set up for Cram’s family at Iowa State Bank, 5 E. Call St., Algona, Iowa, 50511

Officer Kevin Cram’s career timeline

Cram is a Corwith native who joined the Algona Police Reserves after graduating from Corwith-Wesley-LuVerne High School in 2008. He’s a graduate of Iowa’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy, who worked at the Nora Springs Police Department from 2013-2015 before joining the Algona Police Department in 2015.

Iowa officers killed in the line of duty

Officer Kevin Cram is the 219th Iowa law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, and the 141st killed by another person through gunfire or assault.

Law enforcement line-of-duty deaths decreased by 66% halfway through 2023, according to data from the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. Fifty-two federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty Jan. 1-June 30, 2023, the fund says.

Iowa DPS commissioner refuses to use suspect’s name while announcing Algona police officer’s death

Iowa Public Safety Commissioner Stephan K. Bayens said Cram’s name over and again while reading a prepared statement Sept. 14 during a news conference. But he refused to say the name of the man authorities say shot the officer.

“Algona police officer Kevin Cram died because he answered the call to serve,” Bayens said. “… He chose to be a beacon of light. … He was willing to stand in the gap between good and evil.

“Algona police officer Kevin Cram died a hero.”

Video coverage of police officer Kevin Cram’s funeral

‘Kevin will be loved forever’: Algona police chief Bo Miller gives eulogy at officer Kevin Cram’s funeral

‘You made a difference’: Retired Algona police chief Kendall Pals gives eulogy at officer Kevin Cram’s funeral

Video: Iowa DPS commissioner Stephan K. Bayens gives the Police Officer’s Prayer during Kevin Cram’s funeral

Video: Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek talks with KCCI about Kevi

The shooting of an Algona cop prompted Iowa to activate its Blue Alert System for the first time.
Although Iowa’s Blue Alert programme was created in 2021, it wasn’t put to use until September 13, 2023, when it was initiated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety following the shooting death of Algona police officer Kevin Cram while on duty.

According to Lt. Heath Hove of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the agency assists in coordinating the Blue Alert by obtaining and verifying the necessary data. Between the moment Cram was shot and the Blue Alert was made public on Facebook, it took almost three hours and forty minutes.

“It requires time. You’re trying to sift through a large amount of information that you’re getting. Me

At his burial on September 20, Cram was hailed as a hero—a public servant who changed the world and would always be cherished. On September 13, 2023, a throng of over 1,000 people gathered in the gymnasium of Algona High School to honour Cram, who was died while performing his duty.

During his eulogy, Algona police chief Bo Miller told humorous tales of Cram’s days of hunting and trapping. And when he read aloud from a letter he had received following Cram’s passing, several people in the crowd had tears in their eyes.

“Kevin will always be remembered and loved forever,” Miller said. “Many, many lives were saved by his heroic deed. He’ll be regarded as a hero forever.”

Cram was brought onto the force in 2015 by retired Algona police chief Kendall Pals, who made sure everyone knew that Cram was more than just a cop.

“Who is Kevin Cram?” stated pals. “He is an individual. And a beautiful human being, too.”

The customary “end of watch” call marked the conclusion of Wednesday’s funeral for fallen Algona police officer Kevin Cram.

“Officer Cram, your law enforcement brothers and sisters will forever watch over your family,” dispatch stated in the unanswered call to Cram. “Please rest in peace.”

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