William Chandler Bean Jr.
Agency patch
Police Officer

William Chandler Bean Jr.

Sacramento Police Department — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
End of Watch February 9, 1999
Age 28
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 145 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Bill Bean was shot and killed as he and his partner attempted to stop a man wanted on an outstanding warrant.

The suspect vehicle pulled over and started to drive again, leading the officers on a low-speed pursuit. The vehicle stopped after becoming disabled in the area of Knightlinger Street and South Avenue. As Officer Bean exited the patrol car the man opened fire, striking him several times. One round entered through the armhole in his vest. Officer Bean's partner returned fire but did not strike the suspect, who was captured several hours later after a manhunt.

The man was convicted of Officer Bean's murder and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole on December 18th, 2003.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-881E8DB9
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 Bean gave the Sacramento Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bean.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA
Platform Identity spd.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 9, 1999
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer William Chandler Bean Jr. 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 Sacramento Police Department, 10 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.8% of this agency's fallen.

Sacramento Police Department
10
of 17 officers
58.8% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Chandler Bean Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

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

How William Chandler Bean Jr. Compares

Age at Death
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
8
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Chandler Bean Jr. is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location