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Incident
Deputy Kenneth Royal was shot and killed while responding as a backup officer to a felony car stop. Another officer had just stopped a vehicle that was suspected of being used in an armed robbery minutes earlier, and one of the suspects had fled into the woods. As other officers covered Deputy Royal, he approached the second suspect, who was still in the vehicle. The suspect began to exit the car and then suddenly pulled out a handgun and opened fire, fatally wounding Deputy Royal. Other officers on the scene returned fire and wounded the suspect. The suspect was convicted of armed robbery and first-degree murder and sentenced to death on October 25, 1968. His sentence was later commuted to life. On December 2, 1973, he escaped from San Quentin Prison. Before being captured four days later in Pinole, California, he committed two armed robberies, kidnapped a family of four, and attempted to crash through a police roadblock. He was taken into custody after being shot and wounded by Contra Costa County Deputies. Deputy Royal was survived by his wife and four children. The Kenneth B. Royal Firing Range, located at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, is named in memory of Officer Royal.
Survivors
Deputy Royal was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Royal served with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Royal.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has lost 22 officers; 15 of them killed feloniously.
Kenneth is one of 974 officers killed feloniously in CA, 53% of the 1,839 remembered there.
Kenneth is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Kenneth is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1968, 1 officer at Sacramento County Sheriff's Office was killed feloniously, more than in any other year.
In 1968, 8 officers in CA were killed feloniously, the 38th heaviest of 163 years on record. The heaviest was 1970, with 24.
In 1968, 91 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 62nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1968, 91 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 73rd heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Kenneth was 36. Of the 15 killed feloniously at Sacramento County Sheriff's Office whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 43.5; the middle age was 36.
Kenneth was 36. Of the 905 killed feloniously in CA whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 43; the middle age was 35.
Kenneth was 36. 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.
Kenneth was 36. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
When
June holds 20% of these deaths at Sacramento County Sheriff's Office; October holds the most, 20%. Fridays: 33.3%.
June holds 7.6% of these deaths in CA; October holds the most, 9.3%. Fridays: 15.1%.
June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.
June holds 8.2% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Fridays: 14.3%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 68.2% of all 22 deaths at Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 13.3% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 53% of all 1,839 deaths in CA, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 26.9% of these deaths.
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.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 20.9% of these deaths.
His people
Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has 22 officers remembered here, Kenneth among them.
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Joseph McKinney
Aug 15, 1850
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Charles J. Ogle
Mar 12, 1951
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William L. Littlejohn
Jun 3, 1955
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Roger L. Bauman
Dec 12, 1961
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Kenneth B. Royal
Jun 7, 1968
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Bruce Roger Verhoeven
Dec 4, 1973
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Stewart Porter Baird
Jun 13, 1976
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Christopher W. Boone
Oct 25, 1979
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Eugene N. Luther
Apr 25, 1980
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Richard Earl Deffner
Jan 21, 1988
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Sandra Lee Larson
Dec 8, 1998
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Joseph Michael Kievernagel
Jul 13, 2005
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Kevin Patrick Blount
Jul 13, 2005
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Jeffrey Vaughn Mitchell
Oct 27, 2006
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Vu Nguyen
Dec 19, 2007
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Paul William DeRouen
Mar 29, 2008
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Lawrence Wilhelm Canfield
Nov 12, 2008
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Danny Paul Oliver
Oct 24, 2014
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Robert Allan French
Aug 30, 2017
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Mark V. Stasyuk
Sep 17, 2018
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Adam Samuel Gibson
Jan 18, 2021
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Brian Dennis Moore
Jan 13, 2022
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-E
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