James Lowell Capoot
Agency patch
Police Officer

James Lowell Capoot

Vallejo Police Department — Vallejo, CA
Felonious Veteran
End of Watch November 17, 2011
Age 43
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 161 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer James Capoot was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of bank robbery suspects following a high-speed chase.

Officer Capoot pursued the suspect vehicle through a residential area, where he executed a PIT maneuver and disabled the suspect vehicle. He pursued the suspect on foot until he was shot several times while in the back yard of a residence.

He was transported to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds.

The suspect was arrested near the scene. On November 11, 2015, he was sentenced to three life terms with no possibility of parole.

Officer Capoot was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served the Vallejo Police Department for 19 years and had previously served with the California Highway Patrol for two years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-9FAE0FCE
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

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.
Police Officer Capoot gave the Vallejo Police Department 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the Vallejo community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Vallejo, CA
Platform Identity vallpd.solano.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 2011
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

James Lowell Capoot served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer James Lowell Capoot 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 Vallejo Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Vallejo Police Department
5
of 5 officers
100% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Lowell Capoot's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How James Lowell Capoot Compares

Age at End of Watch
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
21
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Lowell Capoot is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Lowell Capoot was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location