James Warren Lehmann Jr.

Riverside County Sheriff's Department — Riverside, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 5, 1997

Age 42

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Deputies James Lehmann and Michael Haugen were shot and killed at approximately 3:00 am as they answered a domestic violence call near Sagebrush Avenue and Chaparral Road in Whitewater. They were ambushed by a sniper who shot them with an M-1 rifle as they exited their vehicles. Both deputies were wearing vests. One deputy was shot in the head, and the other was shot in the side when the bullet penetrated his vest. Neither deputy was able to radio in the incident. A sergeant who responded to the scene after they failed to make radio contact was shot at as he attempted to check on the deputies when he saw them lying on the ground. The suspect was apprehended later in the morning during a SWAT operation. The man was convicted of both murders and sentenced to death; however, he committed suicide while on death row on December 9, 2013. Deputy Lehmann had served with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for three years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-3DC0BC17
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.
Deputy Sheriff Lehmann gave the Riverside County Sheriff's Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Riverside community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Lehmann.

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

Agency

Department Riverside County Sheriff's Department

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Riverside, Riverside County, CA

Platform Identity rcso.riverside.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 1997

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Deputy Sheriff James Warren Lehmann Jr. 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 Riverside County Sheriff's Department, 12 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

Riverside County Sheriff's Department

of 27 officers

44.4% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious