His friends as well as those who never met him turned out Saturday to line the funeral procession route of Missouri Highway Patrolman Sgt. Robert Kimberling. Kimberling, who was shot and killed at St. Joseph on Oct. 6, was brought home to rest at Jamesport in Daviess County.
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Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Robert G. Kimberling, 43, son of Ina Kimberling of Jamesport, died on Oct. 6 after a man who failed to pay for $24.69 worth of gas fatally shot the trooper and then took his own life.
Jason Friske, 24, of Madison, WI, shot the trooper more than once using a .357-caliber Magnum revolver. Friske had a criminal history and a history of emotional problems. One minute before Sgt. Kimberling stopped Friske after Friske left a truck stop at Faucett, the Madison (WI) Police Department issued Friske as a missing person who was suicidal and in possession of a handgun. Sgt. Kimberling had no chance to receive this message before the incident occurred.
Funeral services were held Saturday at Huffman United Methodist Church in St. Joseph. More than half of the estimated 1,500 attending and overflowing at another church nearby were law enforcement officers. Lt. Tom Meyer, who was Kimberling’s training officer and who formerly lived in Gallatin early in his career as a patrolman, delivered an emotional eulogy, describing Kimberling as a true hero and role model.
Among the police at the service were officers from Washington, D.C., and four officers from Madison, WI. A very large gathering of law enforcement officers, including some from other states, as well as family, friends and other mourners then attended the burial at Masonic Cemetery in Jamesport.
A long procession of vehicles stretching several miles, including an estimated 300 or more emergency response vehicles, made the 60-mile journey from St. Joseph to the cemetery in Jamesport. The motorcade was led by nearly 50 motorcycles. The procession took about 15 minutes to pass by any given point along the way. American flags, emergency response units and law enforcement vehicles were frequently positioned as a sign of respect along the route taken.
Arrangements were handled by Bram Funeral Home of Jamesport-Gallatin. Sgt. Kimberling was a 1974 graduate of Tri-County R-7 High School at Jamesport and was a 14-year veteran of the Patrol who had just been promoted to the rank of sergeant. An obituary appears inside this issue.
Friske was identified by fingerprints during the autopsy. Authorities say the clerk at the Farris Truck Stop on I-29 became suspicious when the man was wandering around inside the convenience store for more than 30 minutes. The license plate number of Friske’s sports utility vehicle was reported to the Patrol about 5:30 p.m.
Ten minutes later Kimberling, driving an unmarked patrol car, pulled over Friske.
A struggle ensued with shots exchanged. Kimberling shot Friske in the shin. Friske shot Kimberling several times. The patrolman was wearing a bulletproof vest but was fatally wounded. The exact sequence of shots is unknown. Friske appeared to be sitting on the ground when he put a gun to his head and shot himself.
The interstate was closed for about six hours as authorities worked on the scene trying to reconstruct what occurred. A number of people including area ministers, members of the newly formed St. Joseph police chaplain corps, and others worked to comfort the family. Kimberling’s wife, Kelly, was at church services when she heard about the shooting. Robert Kimberling was widely respected as an excellent road officer and family man.
Kimberling became the 20th trooper to be slain in the line of duty since the patrol was formed in 1931. His death comes less than a year after a St. Joseph city police office was killed during a random shooting spree by a drunken man.
Kimberling’s death in the line of duty commanded much media attention which focused on all aspects leading to the fatality and suicide. In an interview with the Kansas City Star, the father of Friske said his son was first diagnosed with depression. Doctors later found a thyroid imbalance with schizophrenia suggested as well. Friske was known to have been fighting mental illness for three years. His family believes he was off his medication when the shooting occurred. Friske had stolen his father’s Chevy Blazer and .357-caliber Magnum revolver which was used in the shooting.
Friske’s family thought he was headed for New Mexico where the family had a memorable vacation years ago. Friske left Wisconsin with no money and most likely drove until the gas tank was empty.
Friske had been voted the boy most likely to succeed in his class at Mount Horeb High School, but he dropped out of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater without getting a degree.