Jose Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes
Agency patch
Police Officer

Jose Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes

Felonious
End of Watch April 24, 2002
Age 53
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 149 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Puerto Rico Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Sentenced to life

Police Officer Jose Rodriguez-Reyes was shot and killed while stationed at a gate at the San Juan VA Medical Center.

He was attacked by two suspects for an unknown reason and shot in the head and chest. After shooting Officer Rodriguez-Reyes, the suspects attempted to steal his service weapon but were unable to remove it from its holster. Officer Rodriguez-Reyes was the first armed Veterans Affairs officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Two suspects were arrested by the FBI and charged with murder. The suspect who shot Officer Rodriguez-Reyes was convicted of murder in July 2006 and subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

Officer Rodriguez-Reyes had served with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police for 18 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-BE655100
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 Rodriguez-Reyes gave the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services 18 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Rodriguez-Reyes.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdvapspd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 24, 2002
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Police Officer Jose Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services, 5 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45.5% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services
5
of 11 officers
45.5% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% 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 Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes's cause is highlighted.

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

How Jose Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes Compares

Age at Death
53
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. Jose Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes is highlighted in Apr.

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 Oscar Rodriguez-Reyes was killed by gun; unknown type.

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

Incident Location