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San Diego Police Department
California
End of Watch: Sunday, September 16, 1984
Cause: Gunfire
Biographical Info
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 2 years, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available Officer Ruopp and Officer Kimberly Tonahill were shot and killed by an armed suspect at the Grape Street Park.
The officers had located a vehicle in the park that contained two underage females and two males. While Officer Ruopp was writing a citation to one male for contributing to the delinquency of minors, Officer Tonahill was questioning the other male.
It was unknown to Officer Tonahill the male she was questioning, had a handgun concealed on his person. This male suddenly produced his handgun when Officer Tonahill began to search him. Officer Tonahill was shot in the side in an area where her vest did not protect. Immediately after shooting Officer Tonahill, the suspect then fired at Officer Ruopp. Officer Ruopp was struck in the leg and knocked down. The suspect then ran up to Officer Ruopp and shot him in the head.
A third officer then arrived at the park as a matter of routine cover. The officer had heard what sounded like gunshots when he was about a block away. The officer located the victim officers' patrol vehicles, but did not see the officers. When this officer was investigating the situation, the hidden suspect fired at him. Though the officer was slightly wounded, he succeeded in wounding the suspect. The suspect escaped and made his way deeper into the park as arriving police units surrounded the location. When daylight appeared, the suspect was located and arrested for the murders of Officers Tonahill and Ruopp.
Officer Ruopp was transported to the hospital where he died two days later.
The suspect was tried and convicted of two counts of first degree murder. He was sentenced to death. While he was incarcerated at San Quentin's deathrow, the suspect hung himself several years after the incident.
Patrolman Ruopp had served with the agency for 2.5 years. He was survived by his wife and four children. | | 
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