Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Kenneth Wrede was shot and killed after responding to a disturbance call at 12:19 p.m. Citizens had called the police after seeing a male under the influence of PCP acting bizarrely in the street at Francisquito Avenue and Glenview Road. When Officer Wrede arrived, he struggled with the suspect momentarily before running back to his patrol car. The male also ran to the officer's patrol car. Because the man was high on PCP, he was able to rip the shotgun from the mounting bracket out of the vehicle's dashboard and shoot Officer Wrede with it. As a K-9 officer arrived on the scene, his dog took the suspect down. After being treated at a local hospital for dog bites, he was charged with murder and jailed. The killer, 29, was sentenced to death, but the sentence was overturned by a federal appeals court in 2000. In July 2002, the killer was tried a second time and was again sentenced to death. As of December 3, 2022, he was on death row. Officer Wrede had served with the West Covina Police Department for three years. He was survived by his wife and parents. In 2007 a four-mile section of I-10 was dedicated as the West Covina Police Officer Kenneth Scott Wrede Memorial Highway in memory of Officer Wrede.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-018B7477- 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 Wrede gave the West Covina Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Covina community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Wrede.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Kenneth Scott Wrede 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 West Covina Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Kenneth Scott Wrede's cause is highlighted.
How Kenneth Scott Wrede Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Kenneth Scott Wrede is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Kenneth Scott Wrede was killed by officer's shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from West Covina Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
