Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

Donald Jack Sowma, Sr.

Cypress Police Department — Cypress, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 19, 1976

Age 44

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sergeant Donald Sowma was shot and killed after he and other officers responded to a silent burglar alarm. While he was searching the premises, he was shot by a suspect. The suspect surrendered to a SWAT team six hours later. The 32-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on July 7, 1977. He was denied parole on November 10, 2022. His next parole hearing is in October of 2024. Sergeant Sowma had served with the Cypress Police Department for 12 years. He is survived by his wife and four children. In his memory, a street near the Cypress Civic Center is named Sowma Way.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-CA3DAA27
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.
Sergeant Sowma gave the Cypress Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cypress community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Sowma.

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

Agency

Department Cypress Police Department

Location Cypress, CA

Platform Identity cpd.orange.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 19, 1976

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 44

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Sergeant Donald Jack Sowma, Sr. 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%.

Cypress Police Department

of 1 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. Donald Jack Sowma, Sr.'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 Donald Jack Sowma, Sr. Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

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. Donald Jack Sowma, Sr. 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. Donald Jack Sowma, Sr. 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