Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Francis Riggs was shot and killed in an ambush by two Puerto Rican nationalists while returning from mass at the San Juan Cathedral. The men opened fire on his car, fatally wounding him. Despite being wounded, the policeman who was chauffering him pursued the suspects and both were apprehended. They were taken to police headquarters where they admitted to assassinating Chief Riggs in retaliation for an incident in November 1935 in which four people were killed by police near the University of Puerto Rico. Both suspects were shot and killed when they reached for guns in an attempt to escape from police headquarters. Chief Riggs was a U.S. Army veteran who had been appointed to serve as the police chief of the Puerto Rico Police Department in 1933.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PR-0427F929- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Francis is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Chief of Police Riggs gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Francis E. Riggs served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Chief of Police Francis E. Riggs is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In 127, 294 of 388 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75.8% of this state's fallen. That is 75.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Puerto Rico Police Department, 279 of 364 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Francis E. Riggs's cause is highlighted.
How Francis E. Riggs Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Francis E. Riggs is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Francis E. Riggs was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Military Service
Francis E. Riggs served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit Francis E. Riggs’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
363 officers from Puerto Rico Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
