James Williams, Jr.

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 10, 1999

Age 41

Tour of Duty 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 145 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 53

Incident

Police Officer James Williams was shot and killed by a sniper while he was searching for a gun along I-580 near 38th Avenue.

He and another officer were searching a portion of a highway where two suspects tossed a shotgun out of their vehicle window during an earlier police chase. During the search, a subject on an overpass opened fire on both officers with a high-powered rifle. Officer Williams was struck in the chest and the round penetrated his vest. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The other officer was shot but the round was stopped by his handcuff case. The subject was a friend of the original suspects and decided to shoot at the officers to aid the suspects in escaping. The man was arrested and charged with capital murder. He plead guilty to second-degree murder towards the end of his trial to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to life without parole.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-04CCADFC
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.
Police Officer Williams served with the Oakland Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Williams.

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

Agency

Department Oakland Police Department

Location Oakland, CA

Platform Identity opd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 10, 1999

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer James Williams, Jr. 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 Oakland Police Department, 37 of 54 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.5% of this agency's fallen.

Oakland Police Department

of 54 officers

68.5% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious