During the early morning of July 4, 1981, Officer John R. Hissong II, was dispatched to a disturbance/vandalism at the Ramada Inn in north Fresno. Upon arriving Hissong was directed to the rear of the motel where the incident was supposed to have taken place.

While investigating, and prior to assisting officers arrival, Hissong located the suspect who immediately fled on foot across the motel property. Hissong gave chase and captured the suspect after running only 150 feet at which time he apparently suffered a heart attack and collapsed with the suspect pinned under him.

Assisting officers arrived about this time and pulled Hissong off the suspect. Hissong was unconscious and had labored breathing and immediate aid was summoned. The assisting officers administered CPR when his breathing stopped within a minute of his collapse, but they were unable to revive him.

Paramedics arrived and continued the CPR until Hissong was taken to St. Agnes Medical Center less than two miles from the scene. CPR and other efforts were attempted for more than 2 1/2 hours without his ever regaining consciousness. He was pronounced dead at approximately 6:30 a.m. after all hopes of any response were apparent.

Hissong joined the Fresno Police Department on March 1, 1979, with prior service with the Weld County Sheriffs Department in Colorado. He left that department as a patrol sergeant and had been named the Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer of 1978 by the Weld County Chamber of Commerce.

On joining the Fresno Police Department, he attended the Butte Police Academy in Chico, California. After the academy he was assigned to the field operations division (patrol) where he worked at the time of his death.

Hissong was the recipient of numerous commendations, and because of his past experience and strong personality, he was an inspiration to many of his fellow officers who prospered from his friendship, and feel deeply the pain of his loss.

Hissong’s funeral was held on July 8, 1981. Those in attendance, along with his family and friends, were members of the Fresno Police Department and outlying agencies; more than 300 uniformed officers.

Hissong’s survivors include his wife, Suzanne; daughter, Hilary, 4-years-old; son, Jonathon, 11-months-old; mother Mrs. Jack Hissong; brother, James; and sister, Patty.

In the late afternoon of June 27, 1981, Oakland officers were sent a second time to a residence regarding a boyfriend-girlfriend dispute. Officers Michael Faulkner and Dennis Dutra arrived at the scene and learned that the disturbing party was gone. Faulkner began a search of the area. Dutra learned where the subject resided and passed the information to Faulkner by radio. Dutra placed the girlfriend in his vehicle and proceeded over to the suspect’s residence.

As Dutra pulled onto the street where the suspect resided, he saw Faulkner’s car stopped in the middle of the street. Faulkner had a shirtless male stopped at the rear of his vehicle. The girlfriend of the suspect pointed to him and made a positive identification.

At that point, the subject began to walk hurriedly away from Faulkner. While doing so he reached inside his pants and began to pull out a large handgun. He spun around and began to fire on Faulkner. Faulkner and Dutra returned fire. The suspect fell to the ground, dead. Dutra looked over and saw Faulkner on the ground. He went to his aid and saw that he had suffered a serious gunshot wound to the head.

Faulkner, a 9-year veteran of Oakland Police Department, died of his wound while enroute to the hospital. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Officer James J. Schumacher, Jr. stopped and cited a speeding car on U.S. Highway 99 and was obtaining the driver’s signature when a passing car drifted toward the shoulder, sideswiped the parked car, and struck Schumacher. The officer was dragged more than 100 feet before being thrown free. He died instantly. The elderly driver who hit Schumacher apparently fell asleep, and was charged with manslaughter. Schumacher, 33, was a 12-year CHP veteran, and had served in the South Los Angeles and Westminster areas before transferring to Merced in 1980. In a tragic footnote to the crash, Schumacher’s badge, ripped from his shirt, had been taken by a souvenir hunter. A facsimile badge (7l64) had to be produced for the Schumacher family.

Officer Schumacher was survived by his wife and two sons, ages seven and 10. His youngest son is now an officer with the CHP as of April 1999.

Two San Diego police officers and a Linda Vista man were killed on June 6, 1981, as a neighborhood dispute over a rosebush erupted into an outbreak of shooting that lasted more than an hour.

The dead officers were identified as Harry K. Tiffany, 32, who died at the scene, and Ronald R. Ebeltoft, 34, who died shortly after he was taken to Sharp Hospital.

Their assailant, Tom Siota, 39, a civilian electrician at the North Island Naval Air Station, was shot to death on his porch by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers who had been pinned down by gunfire.

Tiffany and Ebeltoft were called to the site of the incident at 4:06 p.m. after a woman was struck and kicked by Siota, witnesses said.

The two officers walked to the driveway leading to Siota’s garage, and neighbors saw Siota come from behind his home with a rifle held in his right hand with the muzzle pointed downward.

The officers did not see Siota approaching until bystanders shouted, “There he is.” Siota placed the rifle on the top of a wooden gate at the side of the garage and aimed at the two officers. One of them shouted “Take cover.” They were shot repeatedly before they could draw their weapons.

SWAT team members finally worked their way through the gunfire and drew close to Siota’s home and shot him to death. His body lay on the front porch of his home as Medevac personnel worked frantically on the dying officers sprawled in the driveway. A police spokesman said Ebeltoft had been with the department since January 1979 and Tiffany since July 1979.

Two San Diego police officers and a Linda Vista man were killed on June 6, 1981, as a neighborhood dispute over a rosebush erupted into an outbreak of shooting that lasted more than an hour.

The dead officers were identified as Harry K. Tiffany, 32, who died at the scene, and Ronald R. Ebeltoft, 34, who died shortly after he was taken to Sharp Hospital.

Their assailant, Tom Siota, 39, a civilian electrician at the North Island Naval Air Station, was shot to death on his porch by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers who had been pinned down by gunfire.

Tiffany and Ebeltoft were called to the site of the incident at 4:06 p.m. after a woman was struck and kicked by Siota, witnesses said.

The two officers walked to the driveway leading to Siota’s garage, and neighbors saw Siota come from behind his home with a rifle held in his right hand with the muzzle pointed downward.

The officers did not see Siota approaching until bystanders shouted, “There he is.” Siota placed the rifle on the top of a wooden gate at the side of the garage and aimed at the two officers. One of them shouted “Take cover.” They were shot repeatedly before they could draw their weapons.

SWAT team members finally worked their way through the gunfire and drew close to Siota’s home and shot him to death. His body lay on the front porch of his home as Medevac personnel worked frantically on the dying officers sprawled in the driveway. A police spokesman said Ebeltoft had been with the department since January 1979 and Tiffany since July 1979.

Officer Warner died on June 1, 1981 from an accidental gunshot wound.

A police officer and a suspected bank robber were killed and another officer wounded shortly before noon today during a holdup of the Bank of America in downtown Redwood City.

Authorities said a second suspect escaped in late-model, blue Pontiac Trans Am. He was described as a white male with long blond hair.

Roadblocks were set up through San Mateo County, and a California Highway Patrol helicopter was being used in the search for the second suspect.

The dead officer was identified as Sgt. George Garrett, 38, head of the department’s narcotics detail. Shot in the right arm and left hand was detective Robert Peele, 28. He was undergoing surgery at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, police said. His condition was reported as good.

Police Chief George Bold said four officers were dispatched to the bank at 110 California Ave. at about 11:55 a.m. in answer to a silent alarm.

Bank spokesperson Sharon Woodson said “A suspect went up to the manager and threatened him with a bomb. At that point, the manager alerted an employee to hit the silent alarm.”

She said police responded to the bank, which was crowded with customers, within three minutes. It was not clear whether the robber actually was carrying a bomb.

Bold said Garrett approached the manager’s desk and identified himself as a policeman. Shots rang out. Garrett was shot in the head and chest. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Sequoia Hospital.

Bold said Detective Dale Switzer returned the fire, killing the man who had shot Garrett. The slain suspect was not immediately identified.

Dan Hurly, 21, of Belmont, one of the customers inside the crowded bank, said he was in line when police came in and “yelled something.”

Hurly said everyone dropped to the floor and a scuffle ensued behind the teller’s cage. He said a desk was knocked over and someone came flying over the barrier.

Hurly said he heard three quick shots followed by three or four more. Police said no money was taken from the bank.