Ricardo Lizarraga
Agency patch
Police Officer

Ricardo Lizarraga

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Felonious
End of Watch February 20, 2004
Age 31
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 338 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Ricardo Lizarraga was shot and killed while investigating a domestic disturbance in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles.

He and his partner were flagged down by a woman while on patrol. The woman informed the two officers she was having problems with a friend and wanted him removed from her home. As the officers approached the man to search him, he pulled out a handgun and opened fire, striking Officer Lizarraga in the abdomen below his vest. Officer Lizarraga's partner returned fire as the suspect fled the scene.

Officer Lizarraga was transported to a local hospital where he died from his wounds approximately 2 hours later.

The suspect was arrested about 3 hours after the shooting during a large manhunt. The shooter was a gang member who was on parole and had a long criminal history. The suspect attempted to hang himself in his cell a few hours after his first court appearance. He died the next day from the injuries he received in that attempt.

Officer Lizarraga had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 2.5 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, brother, and two sisters.

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 Lizarraga gave the Los Angeles Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Lizarraga.

— 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 February 20, 2004
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ricardo 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 2004, 79 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 86th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ricardo was 31. 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. Ricardo had served 2.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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, Ricardo among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Ricardo Lizarraga

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch February 20, 2004

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 2-E

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