Santa Monica Police Department, California
End of Watch: Thursday, November 4, 1965
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 1292
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 3, 1965
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Sergeant Ronald Wise was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man for child abuse.
A patrol officer responded to an apartment at 2216 4th Street to investigate a report of child abuse. When he arrived he found a badly bruised and semi-conscious 3-year-old child. The officer requested that Sergeant Wise respond to the scene to assist in the arrest of the belligerent father. When Sergeant Wise arrived, the suspect shot him twice in the stomach. Other officers at the scene returned fire and wounded the subject, who was then arrested.
Sergeant Wise was taken to Santa Monica Hospital where he died from his wounds the next day.
The subject was convicted of second-degree murder and served only seven years in prison.
Sergeant Wise had served with the agency for nine years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.