Yolo County Sheriff's Office, California
End of Watch: Thursday, November 18, 1943
Age: 53
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 18, 1943
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff Walter Leinberger was shot and killed while serving a burglary warrant on a man on Sutter Street in Bryte, current day West Sacramento.
As Deputy Leinberger, who was accompanied by his wife, approached the cabin, a man burst out and opened fire, fatally wounding him. Deputy Leinberger's wife picked up his gun and fired at the suspect six times, striking him in the arm twice.
The suspect was not the man Deputy Leinburger was attempting to arrest. Unknown to Deputy Leinberger, the shooter had evaded arrest for wounding another officer three years prior and was wanted by the FBI. He was later shot and killed in a shootout with Sacramento authorities.
Deputy Leinberger was survived by his wife and son.
In 1991, the county's new minimum security jail was named in Deputy Leinberger's honor.