Richard Philpott

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 7, 1931

The Vigil Panel 61 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 53

Incident

Police Officer Richard Philpott died from a shotgun blast he received the day before while he was investigating a domestic disturbance at 1702 65th Avenue Officer Philpott and his partner received instructions to patch up a family disturbance. They were met by a large crowd of neighbors and the family of the man of the household. The wife told the officers her husband had been acting strangely and had beaten her. Her son said his father was in the barn next to the house and he had a shotgun, but that it wasn't loaded. The officers proceeded to the barn and as they stepped through the door the man shot Officer Philpott in the face with the shotgun. Officer Philpott's partner fired six rounds at the suspect, incapacitating him. Officer Philpott was rushed to Merritt Hospital blinded and with almost 50 birdshot penetration wounds to his head. He died of his wounds two days later. The 58-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in San Quentin Prison. He died in San Quentin Prison on July 23rd, 1947.

Survivors

Officer Philpott was survived by his wife, stepdaughter, and stepson.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-A405ADEC
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.
Police Officer Philpott 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 Philpott.

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

Agency

Department Oakland Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Oakland, Alameda County, CA

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

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1931

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Police Officer Richard Philpott 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 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

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious