Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Thomas Williams was ambushed and assassinated in order to prevent him from testifying in an upcoming robbery trial. He was picking up his 6-year-old son at a church daycare center in Canoga Park when a masked gunman drove up beside him and sprayed his car with bullets. Four men were arrested and charged with murder. Three months later, two more were charged. Later, three more were charged, bringing the total to nine. The man, 33, who planned the ambush and sprayed machine gunfire, was sentenced to death in 1988. In 2024, he was found dead in his jail cell. 1989, the man, 23, who was supposed to commit the murders and recruited help was convicted of conspiracy and acquitted of murder. He was paroled in 2017. The driver, 24, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. As of December 3, 2022, he was in Solano Prison. Detective Williams had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. Detective Williams was posthumously awarded the Medal of Valor for the actions taken by him to protect his son during the incident.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-F5EFB6ED- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Williams gave the Los Angeles Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Williams.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Thomas Charles Williams, Jr. 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 Los Angeles Police Department, 115 of 240 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Charles Williams, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Charles Williams, Jr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Charles Williams, Jr. is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas Charles Williams, Jr. was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
239 officers from Los Angeles Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
