Carl E. Wilson, a forty-year old sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and his partner came to the Midway City area of Orange County on January 4, 1973. They were in pursuit of a suspect who had shot three people, killing two, at a Cerritos Mall In Los Angeles County. When they went to the front door of the suspect’s house they were met with a hail of automatic weapon fire. Sergeant Wilson was killed immediately.

Donald W. Schneider, a forty year old Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy was Sergeant Wilson’s partner that day in 1973. He too was killed in the burst of gunfire from the house in Midway City. The attack was so sudden that neither officer was able to defend himself. The suspect was shot and taken into custody by an Orange County Deputy Sheriff who, at the time of the shooting, was covering the back of the suspect’s house.