Roll of Honor
Oscar E. Olson
Incident
Location: California Weapon: Rifle Offender: Sentenced to 8 years
Special Agent Oscar Olson was shot and killed while searching for bootleggers at a house on the Morongo Indian Reservation near Banning at 4:30 am.
Agent Olson was investigating who was supplying alcohol to the people on the reservation. Around midnight, Agent Olson found two men who did not belong on the reservation and told them to leave and not return. A few hours later, one of the men returned a few miles from where he had been ordered to leave. The subject stated that he did not have a key to the vehicle, but his partner, who was in the house nearby, had it. Agent Olson enlisted the aid of a Morongo Indian Reservation officer, and they entered the house. While inside the home, Agent Olson drew his weapon when the subject became threatening. As he backed out the door, he was shot and fatally injured by another man who had grabbed a rifle and hidden in the bushes outside.
On February 2, 1931, the subject, 19, was apprehended, convicted of voluntary manslaughter, and sentenced to eight years in a federal prison because the murder was in Indian territory.
Agent Olson was a North Dakota National Guard veteran and served with the United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services for ten years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-E2FFD982- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Special Agent Olson gave the United States Department of the Interior 10 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Oscar E. Olson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Special Agent Oscar E. Olson is one of 17,558 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,585 officers honored here.
In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.8 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.
At United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services, 45 of 52 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 86.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Oscar E. Olson's cause is highlighted.
How Oscar E. Olson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Oscar E. Olson is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Oscar E. Olson was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Military Service
Oscar E. Olson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
51 officers from United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
