Hugo Fernando Arango
Agency patch
Investigator

Hugo Fernando Arango

Doraville Police Department — Doraville, GA
Felonious
End of Watch May 13, 2000
Age 24
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 147 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Investigator Hugo Arango was shot and killed while questioning two individuals who were suspected of breaking into vehicles in the Eclipse nightclub parking lot at 5600 Buford Highway NE in Doraville.

The suspect fired the weapon, striking Investigator Arango in the leg and the club manager in the jaw. The suspect then shot Investigator Arango again, with the bullet striking his badge. As the officer lay there, he was shot in the head execution style, which killed him. The two suspects fled the scene, but one of them left his wallet behind. He was arrested five days later after a manhunt involving over 500 officers.

The suspect was charged with capital murder. On June 25, 2003, he was sentenced to life in prison and would be eligible for parole after 32 years. While incarcerated, he was convicted of running a drug trafficking ring.

Investigator Arango had served with the Doraville Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his parents, three sisters, and a girlfriend.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-F5461CCD
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Investigator Arango gave the Doraville Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Doraville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Investigator Arango.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Doraville, DeKalb County, GA
Platform Identity dorapd.dekalb.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 13, 2000
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Investigator Hugo Fernando Arango 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Doraville Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Doraville Police Department
2
of 3 officers
66.7% Felonious
GA — Statewide
549
of 905 officers
60.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hugo Fernando Arango's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Hugo Fernando Arango Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Hugo Fernando Arango is highlighted in May.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Doraville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.