header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
July 12
1900 - Pacific Telephone & Telegraph establishes Newhall exchange; SCV gets first phone [story]
old telephone


A smiling deputy eager to lend a helping hand.

A friend who enjoyed motorcycles and dropped in to the local smoke shop for a good cigar, chatting up reporters in the newspaper office next door.

A giving public servant. A dependable partner.

A son. A brother. A fiancé.

When he rolled up to a barricaded suspect scene on that fateful day – Aug. 31, 2001 – Deputy Hagop “Jake” Kuredjian knew only one thing – that his fellow deputies needed help and he was there to see what he could do.

Responding to the Brooks Circle address in Stevenson Ranch where federal and local officials were met by firepower when they tried to serve a search warrant, he tried to take shelter behind a parked car, but one shot from a second story window hit him in the head and he fell, just yards from the other officers.

They couldn’t get to him in time.

Our community lost Jake that morning.

Four thousand people attended his funeral at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church; uniforms lined the path to his final resting place at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. There is a street named after him in Newhall and a park in Stevenson Ranch. Seventeen rose bushes – one for every year of his service to the Sheriff’s Department – were planted in a memorial garden that honors him and another officer killed in the line of duty, Deputy Arthur Pelino.

His killer, James Allen Beck, who was wanted on suspicion of stockpiling weapons and impersonating a U.S. marshal, died when tear gas canisters ignited, creating a firestorm and destroying the house in the normally quiet neighborhood.

The lot was eventually cleared and a new house built on the site.

There are other 10-year commemorations on the minds of many local residents, who will soon observe the first decade since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. But to the law enforcement community, this anniversary also has special meaning.

On Wednesday morning, at 10 a.m., there will be a gathering to honor Jake Kuredjian at the corner of Poe Parkway and Stevenson Ranch Parkway, where a monument that bears his beaming likeness was placed by a grateful community.

The public is invited to participate; some traffic lanes near the corner of Poe and Stevenson Ranch will be closed to accommodate the crowd. Organizers picked the midmorning time so as not to interfere with school traffic and have plans to be out of the area before the school lunch rush.

His mother, Anahid, and brother Garo will be there, and Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich will speak.

Baca delivered an emotional tribute that is preserved on the SCV Sheriff’s website and reprinted here.

“On Friday, August 31, 2001, the sunshine seemed to dim, laughter faded away and there was a little less joy in the world because Deputy Hagop ‘Jake’ Kuredjian was taken from us. A deranged man wielding a rifle took his life, in a brief moment of time, leaving his family and an army of friends to mourn his loss.

“In the short time since his tragic death at 40 years old, I have been overwhelmed by the stories of how much life Jake packed into the relatively short time he was with us. If friends were counted as income, Jake was one of the richest men in the world! While we can’t help but grieve his passing, I am determined to remember that million dollar smile and the fact he would give the shirt off his back to help a family member, friend or stranger.

“Let us remember Jake enjoying a good prank, telling a joke or riding down the road on his Harley. Please never forget that Jake willingly put his life at risk to come to the aid of residents and law enforcement personnel who were in peril. Most of all, if you have not already done so, thank God for sharing Jake with us, even if just for a little while.”

The speakers will talk about Kuredjian’s sacrifice and his dedication and service to the community he had grown to embrace. Those in attendance will have their own memories of Jake.

“Jake and I were very close,” said Lt. Robert Lewis, who is organizing the event. “We worked together in Malibu and we were good friends.”

During his time at the Malibu station, Kuredjian received the Gold Meritorious Conduct Award for rescuing a woman who was stranded on a cliff.

“As a law enforcement officer, Jake gave great service to the community and his fellow officers,” Lewis said. “There was never one day when he wasn’t willing to step up and help citizens or fellow deputies; if someone locked their keys in the car or a deputy needed help finishing reports, he’d always say ‘no problem’ and stay to help.”

“He had a great heart,” he continued. “He loved the community and the department.”

Some procedures have changed since Jake’s death, after department officials dissected the crime scene and the actions of the persons involved. Interagency relations have improved and officers employ more cautious tactics in responding to hazardous situations.

Maybe Jake is still looking out for his fellow deputies.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025
July 14: Hart Park Officially Transfers to City of Santa Clarita Control
The city of Santa Clarita has officially signed off on the walk-thru/hand over of William S. Hart Park, said officials from Supervisor Katheryn Barger's office in a statement released on Friday, July 11.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025
Free Old Town Newhall Weekend Shuttle Launched
To alleviate parking and make it easier for residents and visitors to explore Santa Clarita’s Premier Arts and Entertainment District in Old Town Newhall, the city has launched the free Summer Shuttle Service Pilot Program.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025
Santa Clarita Voices Episode Seven Podcast Available Now
The city of Santa Clarita has announced the release of the seventh episode of Santa Clarita Voices, the city’s official podcast, that highlights the stories, experiences and conversations from city leaders and unique members of the Santa Clarita community.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The city of Santa Clarita has officially signed off on the walk-thru/hand over of William S. Hart Park, said officials from Supervisor Katheryn Barger's office in a statement released on Friday, July 11.
July 14: Hart Park Officially Transfers to City of Santa Clarita Control
Scarlet Hope Southern California invites the Santa Clarita Valley community to its inaugural Brunch & Bloom fundraiser on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 11 a.m.
Aug. 24: Brunch & Bloom ‘A Fundraising Event’
The city of Santa Clarita and SantaClaritaArts.com is seeking speakers and proposals for the Fourth Annual Business for Artists Conference.
Fourth Annual Business for Artists Conference Seeks Speakers
To alleviate parking and make it easier for residents and visitors to explore Santa Clarita’s Premier Arts and Entertainment District in Old Town Newhall, the city has launched the free Summer Shuttle Service Pilot Program.
Free Old Town Newhall Weekend Shuttle Launched
The city of Santa Clarita has announced the release of the seventh episode of Santa Clarita Voices, the city’s official podcast, that highlights the stories, experiences and conversations from city leaders and unique members of the Santa Clarita community.
Santa Clarita Voices Episode Seven Podcast Available Now
1900 - Pacific Telephone & Telegraph establishes Newhall exchange; SCV gets first phone [story]
old telephone
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency will hold its next regular board meeting on Tuesday, July 15.
July 15: Regular Board Meeting of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
For its innovative new website, California Institute of the Arts has earned a 2025 Circle of Excellence Gold Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
CalArts Website Wins 2025 Circle of Excellence Gold Award From CASE
The National League of Junior Cotillions has announced the appointment of Brooke Wanberg as the new NLJC Director for the Santa Clarita Chapter.
Junior Cotillion Santa Clarita Chapter Now Enrolling Students in SCV
The Rancho Camulos National Historic Landmark Museum will host a special history event on Saturday, July 26, featuring the story of Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes and the creation of the El Camino Real Bells.
July 26: Rancho Camulos Hosts History Event, ‘The El Camino Real Bells’
The city of Santa Clarita has announced that due to the construction of the new Rink Sports Pavilion, the outdoor basketball courts at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex will be closed effective Friday, July 11 and remain closed until Aug. 21.
Outdoor Basketball Courts at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex Closed Until Aug. 21
The city of Santa Clarita's Concerts in the Park series, presented by Logix Federal Credit Union, at Central Park every Saturday evening from July 12 through Aug. 30, is back for its 35th year.
Enjoy Transportation Options for Santa Clarita Concerts in the Parks
Leon Worden of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society sits down with Andre and Renaud Veluzat, owners of the historic Melody Ranch Studio. This interview was first broadcast on SCVTV in 2014.
Legacy | Andre and Renaud Veluzat: Rebuilding Historic Melody Ranch Studio
2007 - Moore's sub sandwich shop, abandoned 2 years earlier, demolished as derelict building; now partially Newhall roundabout [story]
Moores sub shop
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, in partnership with Harley-Davidson of Santa Clarita and LA Police Gear, will host a free ‘ETCH & CATCH' Catalytic Converter Etching Event 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, July 19.
July 19: Free Catalytic Converter Etching Event
The California Department of Transportation has announced overnight closures along Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass for k-rail installation.
Overnight Closures on I-405 for Pavement Rehabilitation Project
Do you know a child with special needs? The Santa Clarita Valley Special Education Local Plan Area and its member school districts actively seek out all individuals with exceptional needs, from birth to age 22, including infants and children attending private schools.
SCV School Districts Seek Children with Special Needs
The Old Town Newhall Public Library will host a Teen Game Day: Giant Games event, Wednesday, July 23, 3:30-4:30 p.m. at 24500 Main St., Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
July 23: Teen Game Day, Giant Games at Newhall Library
There are summer traditions and then there are Santa Clarita summer legends. For 35 years now, families, friends, neighbors and music lovers alike have gathered under the open skies of Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350 to experience something truly special: Concerts in the Park, presented by Logix Federal Credit Union.
Jason Gibbs | Celebrating 35 Years of Music Under the Stars with Concerts in the Park
Family Customs will host a Hot Wheels & Die Cast Swap Meet, 8 a.m.- noon, Saturday, July 19.
July 19: Hot Wheels, Die Cast Swap Meet
The Triumph Foundation 2025 Gala will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7 at the iconic Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Aug. 7: Triumph Foundation 2025 Gala at the Peterson Automotive Museum
The Santa Clarita Artists Association will be hosting a Plein Air Outdoor Artmaking and public meet up Friday, July 18, 9 a.m.-noon at Marina Park.
July 18: SCAA Plein Air Artmaking at Marina Park
Carousel Ranch will host "Cowgirls & Crystals," 6-11 p.m., Friday, Aug 15 at the Oaks Club at Valencia.
Aug. 15: Carousel Ranch ‘Cowgirl’s & Crystals’
The city of Santa Clarita encourages interested and qualified residents to apply for an unscheduled vacancy position on the city’s Planning Commission. The unexpired term ends Dec. 31, 2026.
Applications Now Being Accepted for Open Seat on City Planning Commission
SCVNews.com