Robert E. Reed
Agency patch
Officer

Robert E. Reed

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
End of Watch October 8, 1957
Age 36
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Bob Reed was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for speeding and attempting to elude arrest on U.S. Highway 101 near Ventura. The suspect crashed into a barricade and ran from the scene. Officer Reed captured him after a short chase. The 36-year-old suspect complained of an injured ankle, so Officer Reed transported him to the hospital in Ventura instead of the jail. He was ordered to the psychiatric ward when he grabbed a bottle of cleaning fluid and tried to drink it as he was being examined. As he was being transferred on a gurney, he grabbed Officer Reed's gun out of its holster and shot him. The suspect was found to be insane and committed to a mental hospital. On July 28, 1960, he died at the state mental hospital in San Luis Obispo. Officer Reed had served with the California Highway Patrol for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Reed gave the California Highway Patrol 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Reed.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 8, 1957
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1957, 67 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 107th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 36. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Robert had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Robert E. Reed

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch October 8, 1957

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 8-W

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