Ivan Fontanez-Bruno
Agency patch
Police Officer

Ivan Fontanez-Bruno

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Felonious
End of Watch March 24, 1996
Age 20
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 142 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Ivan Fontanez-Bruno was shot and killed after being identified as a police officer while off duty. He and another officer were carjacked and abducted by unknown suspects. At approximately 11:30 pm, Cadet Fontanez-Bruno and a fellow cadet were at Las Croabas beachfront in Fajardo when three armed men announced a holdup. As the armed robbers took the cadets' wallets, they noticed both were police cadets. They were forced into the cadets' vehicle and drove off towards Highway 3, where they shot Cadet Fontanez-Bruno. The other cadet was left unharmed in an abandoned spot down the road. All three men were apprehended and convicted of felony-murder and sentenced to life in prison. Cadet Fontanez-Bruno joined the Puerto Rico Police Department and served in Group 18, Academy 198, for almost a year. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Police Officer.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PR-5D1D693B
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

You barely got started.
Police Officer Fontanez-Bruno gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Fontanez-Bruno.

— 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 March 24, 1996
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 20
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Police Officer Ivan Fontanez-Bruno 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 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.

Puerto Rico Police Department
279
of 364 officers
76.6% Felonious
127 — Statewide
294
of 388 officers
75.8% 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. Ivan Fontanez-Bruno's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ivan Fontanez-Bruno Compares

Age at Death
20
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ivan Fontanez-Bruno is highlighted in Mar.

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. Ivan Fontanez-Bruno was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location