Rafael Cotto-Casillas
Agency patch
Detective

Rafael Cotto-Casillas

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Felonious
End of Watch August 19, 1951
Age 37
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Rafael Cotto-Casillas was shot and killed while searching for a prison escapee. Detective Cotto-Casillas and his partner had gone to the home of the escapee's mother to interview her. Both detectives began to leave after the woman denied knowing where her son was. As they walked from the home the escapee opened fire on them, striking Detective Cotto-Casillas in the back. The other detective was able to return fire and killed the subject.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-HARG-32X6-0 earlier record number BO-US-PR-28DD9F0E
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Cotto-Casillas served with the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Cotto-Casillas.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Juan, 127
Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 19, 1951
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Rafael is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1951, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Rafael was 37. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Puerto Rico Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Rafael among them.

Across the years

Detective Rafael Cotto-Casillas

Puerto Rico Police Department · End of Watch August 19, 1951

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 21-W

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