Officer Martin L. Ganz
Manhattan Beach Police Department
California
End of Watch: Monday, December 27, 1993

Biographical Info
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 226

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Monday, December 27, 1993
Weapon Used: Handgun; .380 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death

Officer Martin Ganz was shot and killed while making a traffic stop. As he was outside of the patrol car the driver of the other car exited and started firing at him. Officer Ganz tried to take cover behind his vehicle but was shot numerous times. Officer Ganz' 12-year-old nephew was on a ride along with him and the suspect attempted to shoot at him, but his gun misfired and the boy was not harmed.

The suspect was arrested approximately 8 months later in connection with another murder in Oregon. The suspect was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the Oregon murder. In December 1998 the suspect was sentenced to death for the murder of Officer Ganz.

On the 12th anniversary of Officer Ganz's murder, a section of the I-405, between Hawthorne Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue, was renamed the Martin L. Ganz Memorial Highway.

Officer Ganz had served with the agency for 5 years. He was survived by his fiancee.