Whittier Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, May 18, 1977
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: September 19, 1976
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Corporal John Pierce died as a result of injuries sustained nine months earlier while conducting an undercover narcotics investigation at Whittier College.
He was leaving a dormitory when two security guards, who had received a complaint about a man harassing students, accosted him in a case of mistaken identity. The security guards shoved him into a parked car which resulted in Officer Pierce suffering a broken neck.
Both security guards were charged with felony assault but were later acquitted.