Tustin Police Department, California
End of Watch: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: 43
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 6, 1972
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Ten years to life
Officer Wally Karp succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained one month earlier when he was shot while assisting deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Department on a call involving a man with a rifle.
The suspect had hidden in the bushes outside of the home at 13322 Diamond Head Drive. Officer Karp was shot by the man shortly after arriving on the scene.
The suspect was also shot and wounded before being taken into custody. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to ten years to life in prison.
Officer Karp was a United States Navy Vietnam veteran who served with the Tustin Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, daughter, two stepchildren, mother, stepfather, three brothers, and a sister.