Isabel Santiago-Nazario
Agency patch
Police Officer

Isabel Santiago-Nazario

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch September 5, 2008
Age 40
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 157 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Police Officer Isabel Santiago-Nazario was killed when her patrol car was struck by a stolen SUV.

Officer Santiago-Nazario was on patrol when she and her partner learned of a vehicle pursuit in progress. Officers were pursing a Cadillac Escalade being operated by an unlicensed 16-year-old. As Officer Santiago-Nazario and her partner headed south on 39th Street, the Escalade, traveling east on Wallace Street, broadsided their cruiser near the passenger door. Officer Santiago-Nazario was killed instantly. Her partner was critically injured in the collision.

The driver of the Escalade was captured after a foot chase by other responding officers. On June 7, 2010, he pleaded guilty to third degree murder and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.

Police Officer Santiago-Nazario had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 18 years and was assigned to the Narcotics Strike Force and detailed to the 16th Police District in West Philadelphia.

Survivors

She is survived by her daughter, fiancee, mother, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-26E59710
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.
Police Officer Santiago-Nazario gave the Philadelphia Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Santiago-Nazario.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 5, 2008
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 40
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Vehicular assault
Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Police Officer Isabel Santiago-Nazario 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department
162
of 378 officers
42.9% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% 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. Isabel Santiago-Nazario's cause is highlighted.

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

How Isabel Santiago-Nazario Compares

Age at Death
40
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
18
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Isabel Santiago-Nazario is highlighted in Sep.

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. Isabel Santiago-Nazario was killed by automobile; alcohol involved.

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

Incident Location