Arthur Edward Dunn
Agency patch
Officer

Arthur Edward Dunn

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
End of Watch July 9, 1977
Age 43
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Badge 3318
The Vigil Panel 118 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Arthur Dunn was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for drunk driving and was transporting to jail. The man had managed to conceal a small-caliber handgun and shot Officer Dunn from behind around midnight. Officer Dunn's cruiser went over an embankment on California State Highway 89 near the Dana cut-off in Shasta County. It was located after he failed to show up at the jail. The suspect was found nearby and apprehended. The suspect was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to nine years in prison (the maximum sentence at the time) on April 26th, 1978. Officer Dunn had served with the California Highway Patrol for 14 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-2F1EA82A
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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 Dunn gave the California Highway Patrol 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Dunn.

— 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 July 9, 1977
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 43
Badge Number 3318
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Officer Arthur Edward Dunn is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At California Highway Patrol, 71 of 233 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.5% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol
71
of 233 officers
30.5% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur Edward Dunn's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Arthur Edward Dunn Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
14
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur Edward Dunn is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Arthur Edward Dunn was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909