Michael Richard Arruda
Deputy Sheriff

Michael Richard Arruda

Veteran → Accident
End of Watch June 15, 2004
Age 35
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 3478
The Vigil Panel 152 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Michael Arruda succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained six days earlier when he was accidentally shot by another deputy.

Deputy Arruda and three deputies responded to the Motel 6 at 1154 S 7th Avenue in in Hacienda Heights on June 9th, 2004, after receiving a call that someone was firing shots and threatening people. When the deputies arrived, they went to the unit where the suspect was reported to be staying. As they walked toward the unit, the subject exited carrying a pellet pistol that closely resembled a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun and began firing at the deputies. The deputies returned fire, killing the subject.

One of the rounds fired by the deputies struck Deputy Arruda in the neck, seriously wounding him.

Deputy Arruda was transported to Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he remained until his death six days later.

Deputy Arruda had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for 13 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his son, daughter, fiancée, parents, brother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-E68C869A
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Arruda gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lacso.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 15, 2004
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 35
Badge Number 3478
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Michael Richard Arruda served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Michael Richard Arruda is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, 50 of 120 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
50
of 120 officers
41.7% Accident
CA — Statewide
719
of 1,837 officers
39.1% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Richard Arruda's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Michael Richard Arruda Compares

Age at Death
35
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
13
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Richard Arruda is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location

Military Service

Michael Richard Arruda served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Michael Richard Arruda’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.