Deputy Constable John J. Lerri

John J. Lerri

Deputy Constable John Lerri was one of five deputies killed as a result of a powder magazine explosion in pursuit of a suspected murderer.

He served 5 years as a law enforcement officer and was survived by his wife, eight children, and his mother.

Deputy Daniel Cameron, Constable Gustave Koch, Deputy John Lerri, Deputy Charles White, and Deputy George Woodsum were killed when a powder magazine containing a barricaded murder suspect exploded at 5:18 a.m. The suspect was an employee of the California Fuse and Explosive Works Company and had murdered a coworker during a dispute over Chinese lottery tickets.

The suspect fled into the powder keg, which contained 5 tons of powder, and threatened to blow it up if anyone attempted to arrest him. The standoff continued overnight and into the morning until the suspect called Deputy White and told him he was ready to come out.

As the other deputies approached the magazine, it suddenly exploded, killing the five deputies, a female bystander, and the suspect and seriously injuring two other deputies. The California Fuse and Explosive Works Company was located in the current-day Melrose area of Oakland. The blast caused damage as far north as 13th Avenue, east on Merrill Avenue, and south to San Leandro.