Daniel Jordan 
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — The Simi Valley Police Department will host a ceremony on Monday, August 4, at 8 a.m. in the front parking lot of the police station to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Officer Michael Frederick Clark. The remembrance honors the department’s only officer killed in the line of duty.
Clark was 28 years old when he was shot and killed on August 4, 1995, while responding to a welfare check at a home on Artec Court. He and two fellow officers were investigating reports of a suicidal and possibly intoxicated man, Daniel Allan Tuffree. As they approached the residence, Tuffree opened fire. Clark was struck by two bullets. He died before officers could pull him to safety.
Clark had transferred to Simi Valley from the Los Angeles Police Department just four months before the incident. Known for his dedication to law enforcement, his father later said Michael had wanted to become a police officer since he was a child.
“He was doing what he wanted to do,” Frederick Clark told reporters at the time.
The suspected gunman, Tuffree, was a 48-year-old former high school teacher with a troubled reputation in his neighborhood. Residents described him as angry, reclusive, and often aggressive. Some neighbors said he had thrown rocks at passing cars and had frequent conflicts with local teenagers. At the time of the incident, he was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis. Police later confirmed that county mental health workers had contacted them shortly before the shooting.
The five-hour standoff ended after police deployed tear gas and stormed the home. Tuffree was arrested after being shot multiple times. He survived his injuries and was later charged in connection with Clark’s death.
The tragedy left a lasting impact on the city and the department. Clark’s name is etched into local history. In 2008, the street leading into the Simi Valley Police Department was renamed Officer Michael Clark Memorial Parkway. In 2016, the First Street overpass on Highway 118 was renamed the Michael Clark Memorial Overcrossing.
Each year since his death, SVPD has held a small ceremony on August 4 to remember Clark’s service. This year’s 30th anniversary event is expected to draw both retired and active officers, city officials and members of the community.
The department has asked the public to join in the remembrance. The brief ceremony will include a flag presentation, remarks from city and police leaders, and a moment of silence.
For those who knew Clark, the anniversary is not just about remembering a fallen officer—it is about honoring a man who gave his life trying to help someone in crisis.
“He was just trying to do his job,” said Lt. Tony Harper, at the time, who spoke to the media following the shooting in 1995.
Clark left behind his wife, Jennifer, and their five-month-old son.
Event Details
What: 30th Anniversary Remembrance of Officer Michael Clark
When: Monday, August 4, 2025, at 8:00 a.m.
Where: Simi Valley Police Department front parking lot
Open to: Public
