Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Howie Stevenson was shot and killed after responding to a suspicious person call at a liquor store at 2125 Caswell Avenue in Ceres.
Sergeant Stevenson and other officers had responded to a liquor store on North Central Avenue to investigate reports of an armed male who was acting strangely. The first officer on the scene was shot and wounded by the suspect. This officer took cover behind a car and returned fire as Sergeant Stevenson arrived at the scene. Sergeant Stevenson exited his patrol car from the opposite side of the store and immediately engaged the suspect, firing eight shots before being shot himself. Sergeant Stevenson was struck three times in his torso and legs. The suspect then shot him twice in the head as he lay on the ground.
The suspect exchanged shots with responding officers before fleeing the scene. He was shot and killed approximately three hours later during a second shootout. The suspect was believed to be under the influence of cocaine at the time of the incident.
Sergeant Stevenson had served with the Ceres Police Department for 20 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-68F5E3E8- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
20 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Stevenson gave the Ceres Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Ceres community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Stevenson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Howard King Stevenson 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Howard King Stevenson's cause is highlighted.
How Howard King Stevenson Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Howard King Stevenson is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Howard King Stevenson was killed by rifle; sks.