Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Thursday, October 30, 1997
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 30, 1997
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Deputy Sheriff Michael Hoenig was shot and killed at approximately 1:15 am by a subject who was on a bicycle.
The man was acting erratically, and Deputy Hoenig stopped him on the 3000 block of Seminole Avenue in South Gate.
The man opened fire on Deputy Hoenig as he was about to question him. Deputy Hoenig was sitting in his patrol car when the man fired through the window of the rear passenger door. A round struck Deputy Hoenig, who then attempted to exit his patrol car. The man then came around the back of the patrol car and fired at least six more shots.
Deputy Hoenig was wearing a bulletproof vest, but the fatal bullet struck him in the neck. He was found lying outside of his patrol car with his gun next to him. He never had a chance to return fire or to call for help.
The man was found guilty and sentenced to death in December of 1998.
Deputy Hoenig had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for three years and had been with another agency for seven years before it was merged with the sheriff's department. He is survived by his parents, two brothers, and his sister.