Oxnard Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, March 13, 1996
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: March 13, 1996
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer James Jensen was shot and killed by friendly fire during a high-risk warrant service. The agency's tactical team was serving a warrant on a house where three heavily armed drug-ring leaders were believed to be located.
Another officer, whose vision was obscured as the result of smoke grenades, mistook Officer Jensen for an armed suspect and opened fire on him with a shotgun. He was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.
Officer Jensen, a U.S. Marine veteran who served as an MP, worked for the Oxnard Police Department for 4 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.