Vickie Salassi Wax

Baton Rouge Police Dept. — Baton Rouge, LA

Felonious

End of Watch May 22, 2004

Age 51

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

The Vigil Panel 152 ›

Gender Female

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Lieutenant Vickie Wax was shot and killed with her own service weapon during her attempt at handcuffing a shoplifting suspect.

She had succeeded in placing a handcuff on one hand and was attempting to cuff the other hand when a struggle ensued. Lieutenant Wax was knocked down, and she lost possession of her weapon. She was then shot. A store security guard and a customer, who had assisted her during the struggle, were also shot and seriously wounded.

The suspect escaped by carjacking a vehicle but later turned himself in. He was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree attempted murder, and several other charges. He was convicted of the charges and sentenced to death.

Lieutenant Wax had served with the Baton Rouge Police Department for 27 years.

Survivors

She is survived by her husband, father, two brothers, sister, and two nephews.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-1E144A94
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

27 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Wax gave the Baton Rouge Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Baton Rouge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Wax.

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

Agency

Department Baton Rouge Police Dept.

Location Baton Rouge, LA

Platform Identity brpd.ebr.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 22, 2004

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

Age 51

Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Sentenced to death

Lieutenant Vickie Salassi Wax 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 LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Baton Rouge Police Dept., 17 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this agency's fallen.

Baton Rouge Police Dept.

of 27 officers

63% Felonious

LA — Statewide

364

of 595 officers

61.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious