Israel "Sonny" Medina

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA

Suicide Honored

End of Watch February 15, 2000

Age 39

The Vigil Panel 147 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 239

Biography

1994 – Medal for rescuing a motorist trapped in a burning car 1995 – Medal for chasing down a suspect who was firing at the officer near a school. 1998- Medal of Valor for bravery during the North Hollywood bank shootout “Sergeant Israel Sonny Medina responded to an “Officer Needs Help” call at the Bank of America located at 6600 Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Sergeant Medina arrived and observed a white vehicle traveling slowly away from of him. The suspect driver then stopped the white vehicle adjacent to a Jeep, got out, stood between the two vehicles, and fired a burst of automatic gunfire in Sergeant Medina’s direction. Sergeant Medina exited his police vehicle and took cover behind a parked vehicle. The suspect re-entered the Jeep and began firing his weapon at the SWAT officers who were approaching in their police vehicle. Sergeant Medina, believing the officers would be unable to exit the vehicle due to the suspect’s automatic gunfire, and in total disregard for his own safety, engaged the suspect. The suspect and the SWAT officers engaged in a furious gunfight while Sergeant Medina advanced to another position to obtain a better angle from which to fire at the suspect. Sergeant Medina engaged the suspect, who attempted to move along the passenger side of his vehicle to evade the gunfire. Sergeant Medina and several other officers redeployed and fired at the suspect, effectively restricting him from further movement. Sergeant Medina knowingly responded to an extremely dangerous situation where citizens and officers had already been shot. He engaged and advanced on the suspect, despite the danger to himself, in defense of the lives of others.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-EC1E3C10
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

Officer Israel Medina served with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thank you for your service. We will always remember your sacrifice.
You belong on this wall. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA

Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 15, 2000

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Suicide

Israel "Sonny" Medina is one of 1 officers honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.

In CA, 17 of 1,837 officers were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 0.9% of this state's fallen. That is 0.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Los Angeles Police Department, 4 of 240 officers on record were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 1.7% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles Police Department

of 240 officers

1.7% Suicide

CA — Statewide

of 1,837 officers

0.9% Suicide

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Suicide