Roll of Honor
Incident
Special Officer Miguel Cantu was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack while working an assignment at the intersection of Durango Street and Matamoros Street at approximately 4:30 pm.
A merry-go-round had been set up in a vacant lot at the intersection and the police chief had assigned Officer Cantu to the lot to keep order.
While Officer Cantu stood in front of a crowd of approximately 100 people, a local criminal who had repeatedly made threats that he wanted to kill a police officer, walked up behind him and shot him in the back, severing his spinal cord. As he fell to the ground he was able to draw his revolver and fired one round, which did not strike the suspect. As Officer Cantu laid on the ground the man shot him two more times, then committed suicide.
Officer Cantu was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds about seven hours later.
Officer Cantu had served as a special police officer and sanitation inspector for approximately three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and several children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-A9A02E24- 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.
Special Officer Cantu gave the San Antonio Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Cantu.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Officer Miguel Cantu 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At San Antonio Police Department, 40 of 64 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Miguel Cantu's cause is highlighted.
How Miguel Cantu Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Miguel Cantu is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Miguel Cantu was killed by handgun; .45 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
63 officers from San Antonio Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
