Sergeant Howard King Stevenson, 39, was killed in the line of duty on January 9, 2005, in Ceres, California. Stevenson, a 20-year veteran of the Ceres Police Department who had served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Detective, Range Master, Patrol Sergeant and SWAT Team Leader, responded to a report of a suspicious, armed, and erratic person at a liquor store on North Central Avenue. The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Andreas Raya, first wounded Sergeant Sam Ryno. Officer John King returned fire and helped Ryno to safety. Stevenson engaged Raya and despite firing eight shots was struck three times in his torso and legs and then shot twice in the head as he lay on the ground, resulting in his death.

Raya exchanged fire with other officers before fleeing and was shot and killed about three hours later in a second shootout with police; he was later found to have been under the influence of cocaine and was described as a gang member who had planned the attack as suicide by cop. Stevenson was survived by his wife, Kathy, and three children; his identification number, 143, is displayed on the department’s SWAT armored vehicle. Any readers with information about the events of January 9, 2005, or who knew Sergeant Stevenson are asked to share what they know.