Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer John Valenzuela was shot and killed when he and other officers went to a home near the intersection West 38th Street & South 9th Avenue to serve a warrant as part of a sex offense investigation involving a female elementary school student. Officer Valenzuela was a school resource officer and had been informed of the offense by the victim earlier in the day. The officers made contact with the suspect in the home's garage and were immediately engaged in a shootout. The offender retreated inside the home when his rifle was damaged by gunfire. He obtained a second rifle and then shot Officer Valenzuela, who was concealed behind a bush. The other officers returned fire, killing the subject. Officer Valenzuela had served with the South Tucson Police Department for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his fiancée and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-B083E355- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Valenzuela gave the South Tucson Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the South Tucson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Valenzuela.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer John Anthony Valenzuela is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Anthony Valenzuela's cause is highlighted.
How John Anthony Valenzuela Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Anthony Valenzuela is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Anthony Valenzuela was killed by rifle.