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Patrolman

Valentine D. Lopez Jr.

San Antonio Police Department — San Antonio, TX

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch June 21, 2006

Age 54

Tour of Duty 31 yrs

The Vigil Panel 154 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 63

Incident

Patrolman Val Lopez succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on February 17, 1977, after he responded to about an armed man at a bar.

He was initially the cover officer but was closer, so he reached the scene first. According to witnesses, as soon as Patrolman Lopez entered the bar, the subject began to shoot. Patrolman Lopez was shot twice; once in his abdomen and the other hit his badge first before striking his chest.

The subject was arrested, charged, and convicted of an attempt to commit capital murder. He was sentenced to life in prison and has since died.

While Patrolman Lopez eventually returned to duty and served another 29 years, he never fully recovered from the wound to his abdomen. He developed complications during surgery and died on June 21, 2006.

Patrolman Lopez had served with the San Antonio Police Department for 31 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. He was buried in the Mission Park South Cemetery in San Antonio.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-4E6A87D0
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Valentine is one person.

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Tributes

31 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Lopez gave the San Antonio Police Department 31 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Lopez.

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

Agency

Department San Antonio Police Department

Type Other

Location San Antonio, Bexar County, TX

Platform Identity sapd.bexar.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 21, 2006

Tour of Duty 31 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Valentine D. Lopez Jr. served in the U.S. Army (1971â1974) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Valentine D. Lopez Jr. 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.

San Antonio Police Department

of 64 officers

62.5% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,461

of 2,422 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious