Robert E. Reed

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Felonious

End of Watch October 8, 1957

Age 36

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 93 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 232

Incident

Officer Bob Reed was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for speeding and attempting to elude arrest on U.S. Highway 101 near Ventura. The suspect crashed into a barricade and ran from the scene. Officer Reed captured him after a short chase. The 36-year-old suspect complained of an injured ankle, so Officer Reed transported him to the hospital in Ventura instead of the jail. He was ordered to the psychiatric ward when he grabbed a bottle of cleaning fluid and tried to drink it as he was being examined. As he was being transferred on a gurney, he grabbed Officer Reed's gun out of its holster and shot him. The suspect was found to be insane and committed to a mental hospital. On July 28, 1960, he died at the state mental hospital in San Luis Obispo. Officer Reed had served with the California Highway Patrol for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-4AA111FE
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 Reed gave the California Highway Patrol 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Reed.

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

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 8, 1957

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Officer Robert E. Reed 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 California Highway Patrol, 71 of 233 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.5% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol

of 233 officers

30.5% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious