Richard Philpott

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 7, 1931

The Vigil Panel 61 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 53

Incident

Police Officer Richard Philpott died from a shotgun blast he received the day before while he was investigating a domestic disturbance at 1702 65th Avenue Officer Philpott and his partner received instructions to patch up a family disturbance. They were met by a large crowd of neighbors and the family of the man of the household. The wife told the officers her husband had been acting strangely and had beaten her. Her son said his father was in the barn next to the house and he had a shotgun, but that it wasn't loaded. The officers proceeded to the barn and as they stepped through the door the man shot Officer Philpott in the face with the shotgun. Officer Philpott's partner fired six rounds at the suspect, incapacitating him. Officer Philpott was rushed to Merritt Hospital blinded and with almost 50 birdshot penetration wounds to his head. He died of his wounds two days later. The 58-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in San Quentin Prison. He died in San Quentin Prison on July 23rd, 1947.

Survivors

Officer Philpott was survived by his wife, stepdaughter, and stepson.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Philpott served with the Oakland Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Philpott.

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

Agency

Department Oakland Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Oakland, Alameda County, CA

Platform Identity opd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1931

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Richard is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month

By day of the week

III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded