Jose Garcia-Torres
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Jose Garcia-Torres

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Felonious
End of Watch July 29, 1911
Age 30
The Vigil Panel 25 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief of Police Jose Garcia-Torres was shot and killed in Ponce by a disgraced officer who had just been fired earlier in the day. The officer had been caught committing a crime and, as was the tradition for being removed from the police force at the time, was ceremonially stripped of his police uniform insignia by Chief Garcia-Torres. The fired officer returned to the police department later in the evening and shot Chief Garcia-Torres as he sat at his desk.

Survivors

Chief Garcia-Torres was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PR-287AA49B
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.
Chief of Police Garcia-Torres served with the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Garcia-Torres.

— 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 July 29, 1911
Age 30
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Chief of Police Jose Garcia-Torres 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. Jose Garcia-Torres's cause is highlighted.

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

How Jose Garcia-Torres Compares

Age at Death
30
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jose Garcia-Torres is highlighted in Jul.

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. Jose Garcia-Torres was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location