Vernonia Police Department, Oregon
End of Watch Friday, October 1, 1971
Add to My HeroesRaymond Garcia
Chief of Police Raymond Garcia was shot and killed while making a traffic stop at 7:50 pm while returning to the police station at the end of his shift.
When the vehicle stopped the 80-year-old driver exited the car and opened fire with a .22 caliber pistol. Although mortally wounded, Chief Garcia exited his patrol car and returned fire, killing the man. Chief Garcia was succumbed to his wounds while being transported to the hospital, which was over one hour away.
The Vernonia Police Department was a three-person agency at the time of Chief Garcia's murder. Chief Garcia was a Vietnam War veteran and had served with the agency for only three years. He was survived by his wife and 5-week-old daughter.
Bio
- Age 26
- Tour 3 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber
- Offender Shot and killed
Most Recent Reflection
View all 20 ReflectionsTo the Family of Officer Garcia
I was a young child who lived across the street from Ray died in the line of duty. What you may not know is the man he exchanged gunfire with that night was a predatory monster. I was one of the children he molested. I remember walking home down the alley where Ray was murdered, seeing the chalk outlines and picking up a blood stained rock from the outline of the monster that Ray ended. I have that rock to this day. I will always be grateful to Ray for the sacrifice he made and for the putting to and end the nightmare that this predatory monster was to myself and other children in the neighborhood. Thank you Officer Garcia. You spared me and other children the horrors of this man.
LtCol Forbes
August 26, 2020
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