Eugene Edgar McKnight

Sacramento Police Department — Sacramento, CA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch July 23, 1963

Age 38

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

The Vigil Panel 98 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 16

Incident

Officer Eugene McKnight was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend two suspects who had robbed a market. Officer McKnight, who was off duty, was shopping with his wife when the robbery took place. As the suspects fled from the store he followed and grabbed one of them. As the two struggled the suspect pulled a pistol and shot Officer McKnight through his neck. Minutes later a state trooper captured both suspects. Both suspects were convicted of first degree murder on January 24th, 1964. The gunman was sentenced to death. In 1971 his sentence was commuted to life. The other suspect was sentenced to life but was awarded a new trial in which he was cleared of the murder charge and convicted of armed robbery. Officer McKnight was a U.S Marine Corps veteran of WWII and had served with the Sacramento Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-D72181E0
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Eugene is one person.

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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.
Police Officer McKnight gave the Sacramento Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento 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 Sacramento Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Platform Identity spd.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1963

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Eugene Edgar McKnight served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Eugene Edgar McKnight is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 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 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Sacramento Police Department, 10 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.8% of this agency's fallen.

Sacramento Police Department

of 17 officers

58.8% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious