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Police Officer David John Branhan | Oakland Police Department, California
Oakland Police Department, California

Police Officer

David John Branhan

Oakland Police Department, California

End of Watch: Thursday, February 7, 1974

Biographical Info

Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 7, 1974
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life

Police Officer Dave Branhan and Police Officer David Marks were shot and killed while responding to a call at Madison Junior High School at 300 Capistrano Drive.

The officers had been dispatched to a middle school on a call that a disorderly person was fighting with staff on the school grounds. When the officers arrived, they located the man and took him to a conference room. The man began to struggle with the two officers, gained control of Officer Marks' service weapon, and shot them both. The man was apprehended at a nearby apartment building after he was shot and wounded by other officers.

The subject was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive terms of 15 years to life on May 29th, 1975.

Officer Branhan was a United States Navy Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Oakland Police Department for four years. He was survived by his wife.