At one o’clock in the afternoon, Oakland Police received a phone call reporting that a mentally disordered person was causing problems at Madison Jr. High School. The caller said the man was bothering the children and fighting with the staff. Officers David Branhan and David Marks were dispatched to the school.

After arriving at the school, the officers located the individual and escorted him to a conference room on the main floor where, although they attempted to calm him down, he began to fight with them. Somehow the subject seized Marks’ weapon and fired at both the officers. Branhan and Marks fell to the floor, mortally wounded. The suspect ran from the school and hid in an apartment. He was later shot and apprehended by Oakland officers.

Branhan, 29, who was survived by his wife, joined the department in 1970. He died at Highland Hospital.

Marks, 26, joined Oakland Police Department in May 1972. He died at Merritt Hospital of his wounds. He was survived by his mother.

At one o’clock in the afternoon, Oakland Police received a phone call reporting that a mentally disordered person was causing problems at Madison Jr. High School. The caller said the man was bothering the children and fighting with the staff. Officers David Branhan and David Marks were dispatched to the school.

After arriving at the school, the officers located the individual and escorted him to a conference room on the main floor where, although they attempted to calm him down, he began to fight with them. Somehow the subject seized Marks’ weapon and fired at both the officers. Branhan and Marks fell to the floor, mortally wounded. The suspect ran from the school and hid in an apartment. He was later shot and apprehended by Oakland officers.

Branhan, 29, who was survived by his wife, joined the department in 1970. He died at Highland Hospital.

Marks, 26, joined Oakland Police Department in May 1972. He died at Merritt Hospital of his wounds. He was survived by his mother.

State Police Sergeant Elias S. Enriquez was patrolling the California Aqueduct in the afternoon when he apparently slipped, fell into the canal and drowned. Investigators believe he was walking along the concrete lining of the canal and wrapping illegal fishing line around his hand that he retrieved from the canal when he fell into the water. Sergeant Enriquez was 32.

Officer Robert H. Harrison, Jr. and his partner, Officer Robert Wertman. were pursuing a drunk-driving suspect when a motorist changed lanes abruptly in front of the patrol car. Harrison struck the rear of the vehicle and the impact propelled the patrol car over the edge of the freeway into the bottom of the Arroyo Seco channel 25 feet below. Officer Wertman survived his injuries, but Officer Harrison was killed. He was 26 and a four-year member of the Patrol.

Deputy David E. Andrews, a graduate of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Academy class #151, was murdered in a Los Angeles area gas station restroom while off-duty. At the time of his death, Deputy Andrews was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Firestone Station, in south-central Los Angeles and was engaged to be married.

Although Deputy Andrews was killed off-duty, there is little doubt that the killers knew he was a Deputy Sheriff. They killed him with his own revolver and took his Department identification. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department and the killer arrested. The suspect has since been released from prison.

On December 5, 1973, Field Supervisor Armenta made an undercover purchase of cocaine in the city of Benecia. Immediately following the purchase Steve and other agents attempted to arrest the suspects. One of the suspects shot and wounded Steve, who died two days later in a Sacramento hospital.

Corporal Bruce Verhoeven, 32, was working a special crime prevention detail during the Christmas holiday season when he responded to an armed robbery in progress at a department store at Fulton and Alta-Arden.

The suspect had fled to a nearby apartment complex and was being pursued on foot by Sergeant Jerry Brennan. Corporal Verhoeven cordoned off a small area on one side of the complex to prevent the suspect’s escape, then took cover nearby. As he waited for additional units, a crowd of on-lookers began to gather. Fearing that innocent by-standers could be at risk of serious injury, Verhoeven left his cover and ordered the suspect to throw down his weapon. The suspect suddenly opened fire on Corporal Verhoeven mortally wounding him.

Sergeant Jerry Brennan realizing Verhoeven had been hit, confronted the suspect ordering him to remain motionless. The suspect quickly turned on Brennan. Sergeant Brennan fired at the suspect killing him.

Corporal Bruce Verhoeven was awarded the Sheriff’s Department Medal of Valor, posthumously, for his bravery above and beyond the call of duty.

Sergeant Jerry Brennan received the Silver Star. The Bruce Verhoeven Memorial Fund was established by the Verhoeven family in memory and honor of their loved one.

Corporal Bruce Verhoeven is buried at Mount Vernon Memorial Park on Greenback Lane.