Steven Gerald Gajda
Agency patch
Police Officer II

Steven Gerald Gajda

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Felonious
End of Watch January 1, 1998
Age 29
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 12940
The Vigil Panel 144 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Steven Gajda died on January 1, 1998, after being shot in the head while assigned to stop people from shooting guns in the air on New Year's Eve. He and other officers stopped at a party that seemed out of control to issue a warning. While they were approaching several gang members, the gang members fled and were pursued by the officers. Officer Gajda chased one man who appeared to have a weapon in his waistband and was shot in the ensuing struggle. Two officers on the scene returned fire, killing the 17-year-old suspect who had been wanted for murder since March of 1997. Officer Gajda had served in law enforcement for seven years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer II Gajda gave the Los Angeles Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer II Gajda.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 1, 1998
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 12940
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1998, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Steven was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Steven had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Los Angeles Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Steven among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer II Steven Gerald Gajda

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch January 1, 1998

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-W

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