Francis E. Riggs

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch February 23, 1936

Age 48

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 363

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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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

Department Puerto Rico Police Department

Location San Juan, 127

Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 23, 1936

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and Killed

Military Service

Francis E. Riggs served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Chief of Police Francis E. Riggs is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 21.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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.

Puerto Rico Police Department

279

of 364 officers

76.6% Felonious

127 — Statewide

294

of 388 officers

75.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious