Steven C. Owen
Sergeant

Steven C. Owen

Felonious
End of Watch October 5, 2016
Age 53
Tour of Duty 29 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Steve Owen was shot and killed after responding to a burglary-in-progress call in the 3200 block of West Avenue J-7 in Lancaster, California.

He was checking the rear of the apartment building when the subject emerged and shot him in the head. Then he stood over his body and fired additional shots. The other deputy on scene heard the shooting and ran to the rear of the building, where he found Sergeant Owen wounded. As he rendered aid, the suspect attempted to steal Sergeant Owen's patrol car, but crashed into a second patrol car as the second deputy attempted to stop him.

The man then fled into a nearby home, where he took two teenagers hostage for several hours. As a SWAT team entered the apartment, the man fled but was quickly apprehended.

The suspect, who was on parole at the time, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole in 2021.

Sergeant Owen had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for 29 years. He is survived by his wife and three children. His wife also served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three 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

29 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Owen gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 29 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Owen.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lacso.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 5, 2016
Tour of Duty 29 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Steven is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2016, 82 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 78th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Steven was 53. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Steven had served 29 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 County Sheriff's Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Steven among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Steven C. Owen

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch October 5, 2016

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-W

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