Bio & Incident Details
Age: 35
Tour: 5 months
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 12/31/1972
Weapon: Handgun
Suspect: Sentenced to 99 years
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Deputy Copeland succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous evening after stopping a car that had been driven away from a gas station without paying for $3.20 of gas. As Deputy Copeland spoke with the two occupants the driver refused to return to the gas station. The man then pulled out a pistol and shot Deputy Copeland in the chest. Deputy Copeland was able to return fire and wounded the suspect. Both men fled to Oklahoma where they were arrested a short time later.
The vehicle was stolen, one of the suspects was AWOL from the U.S. Military and the shooter was a member of street gang in California. In the vehicle, they found the murder weapon and several more guns. Both suspects stood trial for the murder. One suspect received two years in exchange for testifying against the actual murderer of Deputy Copeland. The murderer, a 17 year old street gang member, received a 99 year prison sentence.
Deputy Copeland had been a police officer for only 5 months at the time of his death. He was survived by his wife, three children, and a step son he was planning to adopt.
