Roll of Honor
Richard Rodriguez
Incident
Officer Richard Rodriguez was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.
Officer Rodriguez was at the police academy at the time the first plane struck, and he immediately responded to the scene with other officers, arriving just as the second plane hit the towers. Officer Rodriguez was credited with saving many lives before being killed during the second collapse.
Officer Rodriguez had served with the Port Authority Police for eight years and was assigned to the Police Academy.
September 11, 2001
Police Officer Richard Rodriguez was killed at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. He was 31 years old.
He is one of 72 officers honored here, and one of 37 at Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department.
Seventy-two law enforcement officers from eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001, alongside 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and more than 2,800 civilians. A fourth aircraft went down in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a law enforcement officer aboard was among the dead.
Officers went into the towers while everyone else was coming out. More than 25,000 people reached safety because they did.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-05E31E24- 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
You went in while everyone else was coming out.
Police Officer Rodriguez gave the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Rodriguez.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Richard Rodriguez 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, 41 of 60 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Rodriguez's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Rodriguez Compares
Offender Outcome
19 suicide attackers
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Rodriguez is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard Rodriguez was killed by aircraft; passenger jet.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
59 officers from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
