Michael Paul Haugen

Riverside County Sheriff's Department — Riverside, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 5, 1997

Age 33

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Deputies Michael Haugen and James Lehmann were shot and killed at approximately 3:00 am as they answered a domestic violence call near Sagebrush Avenue and Chaparral Road in Whitewater. They were ambushed by a sniper who shot them with an M-1 rifle as they exited their vehicles. Both deputies were wearing vests. One deputy was shot in the head, and the other was shot in the side when the bullet penetrated his vest. Neither deputy was able to radio in the incident. A sergeant who responded to the scene after they failed to make radio contact was also shot at as he attempted to check on the deputies when he saw them lying on the ground. The suspect was apprehended later in the morning during a SWAT operation. The man was convicted of both murders and sentenced to death; however, he committed suicide while on death row on October 9, 2013. Deputy Haugen served with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for five years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-9E5A20EB
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Haugen gave the Riverside County Sheriff's Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Riverside community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Haugen.

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

Agency

Department Riverside County Sheriff's Department

Location Riverside, CA

Platform Identity rcso.riverside.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 1997

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; M-1

Offender Sentenced to death; committed suicide

Deputy Sheriff Michael Paul Haugen 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 Riverside County Sheriff's Department, 12 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

Riverside County Sheriff's Department

of 27 officers

44.4% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious