Lee N. Bunch

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch March 8, 1942

Age 45

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Badge 277

The Vigil Panel 78 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 239

Incident

Policeman Bunch was shot and killed by a robbery suspect. Because of World War II, tires were rationed and cars were being stolen and stripped of their tires and abandoned. The Detective Inspector thought that these thieves would have a lot of money and might go to Gardena to gamble; draw poker being legal there. Policeman Bunch was working undercover in a poker club because he was a good poker player and probably knew more car thieves and car prowlers than anyone in the department. Shortly after midnight three holdup men entered the club armed with a semiautomatic 12 gauge shotgun and revolvers. They lined up the fourteen customers and employees with their faces against the wall and as one suspect covered them with the shotgun the other two suspects started to search the victims. Policeman Bunch was the fifth person in line from where the search was started. He carried his .38 in a shoulder holster. Probably knowing that he would be identified as a police officer, Policeman Bunch drew his gun, whirled and fired at the man holding the shotgun, hitting him in the belly and knocking him back on his haunches. As he hit the floor, he fired two shots from the shotgun. The first went high, but the second struck Policeman Bunch in the head, killing him instantly. The bandits fled to their getaway car. They drove around for awhile and knew the injured suspect had to have medical attention. They finally dumped him out in a hospital driveway. The injured robber died the next day, but before he did, he implicated the others. The other two robbers plead guilty and were sentenced to die. The driver, who had been unarmed, was given a life sentence. Later, the death sentences were changed to life sentences, on the grounds that their attorney caused them to plead guilty with the belief that they would receive life sentences. Policeman Bunch was a military veteran and had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 20 years. He was survived by his wife and had planned on retir

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 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.
Policeman Bunch gave the Los Angeles Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles Police Department

Location Los Angeles, CA

Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 8, 1942

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 45

Badge Number 277

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Not available

Military Service

Lee N. Bunch served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Policeman Lee N. Bunch is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Los Angeles Police Department, 115 of 240 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.9% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles Police Department

115

of 240 officers

47.9% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious