In loving memory of Officer Kenyon Youngstrom

California Highway Patrol

End of Watch: 9/5/2012

California Highway Patrol Officer Kenyon Youngstrom, 37, died September 5, 2012 after he was shot the previous day during a vehicle stop on the interstate 680 in Alamo, CA.

Kenyon was shot around 8:30 a.m. September 4th after he agreed to meet his partner on southbound 680 to handle a dead deer on the side of the roadway. As he was on the way to the location, his beat partner notified Officer Youngstrom that he was going to conduct a traffic stop on a green Jeep Wrangler for an obstructed license plate.

Officer Youngstrom had already pulled to the side of the roadway by the dead deer and stepped from his vehicle to direct the jeep to the side of the road. At that time, his beat partner initiated a traffic enforcement stop on the jeep. Officer Youngstrom approached the jeep and contacted Christopher Boone Lacy at the driver’s side window. After briefly conversing, Lacy shot Youngstrom in the head. The other CHP officer then opened fire on Lacy.

Youngstrom and Lacy were both taken to John Muir Medical Center where Lacy was pronounced dead later in the day. Youngstrom remained in critical condition until Wednesday evening, when he was pronounced dead at 6:05 p.m. Youngstrom’s family rushed to be by his side on Tuesday, and fellow CHP officers kept a constant presence at the hospital.

Officer Youngstrom, a 7-year veteran of the CHP, graduated from the academy in 2005 and was assigned to the Martinez office. He had served as a unit supply specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1994 to 2002 and was assigned to the 301st.

Youngstrom is the 223rd CHP officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1929. He leaves behind a wife and 4 children.