Robert Paul Bolton was a 28-year-old White/Caucasian officer with the Eau Claire Police Department when he was killed in the line of duty in the early morning hours of October 6, 1982. Bolton had served about four years and wore badge number 138. He was shot after responding to a domestic violence disturbance at a shelter then known as Refuge House while attempting to question and stop the man involved; he was taken to a local hospital but did not survive his wounds.

Authorities identified Christian R. Bangert as the shooter. Bangert was arrested and initially charged with first-degree murder and later with endangering safety by conduct regardless of life. The case was moved briefly to Douglas County for jury selection before plans were made to try jurors in Eau Claire; no jury trial occurred. On May 25, 1983, Bangert entered a no-contest plea to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, the endangering-safety count was dismissed, and he was sentenced on July 13, 1983 to the maximum twenty-year term then available. His post-conviction challenge reached the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which concluded the plea had been entered knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently and left the conviction and sentence in place.

Refuge House was later renamed Bolton Refuge House and the Eau Claire Police Department retired badge number 138.