Dighton Lewis Little, a 35-year-old deputy sheriff with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, tragically lost his life on October 20, 1989, in Ripon, California. Deputy Little was a dedicated member of the department's SWAT team, having joined the Sheriff's Office in April 1979. Over his ten-year career, he advanced quickly through various divisions, including the Custody Division, Patrol, and the Detective Division, where he worked in the burglary, child-abuse, and robbery/homicide units.
His commitment to law enforcement and his community was evident through his involvement in numerous organizations and activities, such as the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of San Joaquin County and the annual charity football game, the "Bacon Bash."
On the fateful day of his death, Deputy Little and his SWAT team were preparing to serve a narcotics-related search warrant at Bob's Truck Stop on Highway 99 in Ripon. The warrant had been obtained by a narcotics task force from Stanislaus County, which had requested the assistance of the San Joaquin County SWAT team due to the high-risk nature of serving narcotics warrants. These situations were known to be exceptionally dangerous, as individuals involved in narcotics were often armed and under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The SWAT team divided into three groups to search several buildings on the three-acre property, including a travel trailer occupied by the property manager.
During the operation, Deputy Little was positioned outside the suspect's trailer when he was shot in the head with a high-powered rifle fired through a window. The suspect, who had fired the fatal shot, was subsequently shot and killed by other officers on the scene. Deputy Little was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. His death deeply affected the members of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office and the community he served.
The incident led to an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Deputy Little's death. The suspect who shot him was killed during the operation, and no further arrests or litigations were reported in connection with the case. Deputy Little's dedication to his duty and his ultimate sacrifice are remembered and honored by his colleagues and the community. He was laid to rest in the San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery in Stockton, California.
