Ralph Allen Ablanedo
Police Officer

Ralph Allen Ablanedo

Austin Police Department — Austin, TX
Felonious
End of Watch May 18, 1978
Age 26
Tour of Duty 6 yrs 4 mo
Badge 822
The Vigil Panel 120 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Ralph Ablanedo was shot and killed with an automatic rifle during a traffic stop in the 900 block of East Live Oak Street. After ticketing the driver of the car, he began to run a check on the male passenger. During the check, the man opened fire with an AK-47, penetrating Officer Ablanedo's vest. The suspect was arrested a short time later and was sentenced to death in 1999. The suspect was executed on June 15, 2010. Officer Ablanedo served with the Austin Police Department for less than five and a half years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-DAA6965A
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 Ablanedo gave the Austin Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ablanedo.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Austin, TX
Platform Identity apd.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 18, 1978
Tour of Duty 6 yrs 4 mo
Age 26
Badge Number 822
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Police Officer Ralph Allen Ablanedo 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 Austin Police Department, 12 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Austin Police Department
12
of 28 officers
42.9% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% 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. Ralph Allen Ablanedo's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ralph Allen Ablanedo Compares

Age at Death
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6.3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Allen Ablanedo is highlighted in May.

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. Ralph Allen Ablanedo was killed by rifle.

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

Incident Location