James Edward O'Brien

Oxnard Police Department — Oxnard, CA

Felonious

End of Watch December 2, 1993

Age 35

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 139 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Detective James O'Brien was shot and killed by a man who had shot seven people, killing three of them, during a shooting spree at an unemployment office. Officer O'Brien was shot with a hunting rifle as he pursued the man near Olivas Park Drive and Victoria Avenue, in Ventura. Officer O'Brien had served with the Oxnard Police Department for nine years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, mother, brother, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-D7079FFB
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective O'Brien gave the Oxnard Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oxnard community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective O'Brien.

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

Agency

Department Oxnard Police Department

Location Oxnard, CA

Platform Identity oxnapd.ventura.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 2, 1993

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Not available

Detective James Edward O'Brien is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oxnard Police Department, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

Oxnard Police Department

of 7 officers

71.4% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious