Rafael Lopez-Colon

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127

Felonious

End of Watch January 15, 2002

Age 37

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 149 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 363

Incident

Agent Rafael Lopez-Colon was shot and killed at the Guayama Judicial Center by a Guayama Municipal officer.

Agent Lopez-Colon summoned the subject, a Guayama Municipal Police officer, to court to respond to a citizen's complaint that he had taken the citizen's car to the junkyard for scrap metal. The subject was allowed entry into the courthouse with his service pistol. When he approached Agent Lopez-Colon, he shot him in the head, killing him instantly. A courthouse security guard returned fire, and the subject died a few days later.

Agent Lopez-Colon had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for 15 years, assigned to the Guayama district.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PR-43BDCA10
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.
Agent Lopez-Colon gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Agent Lopez-Colon.

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

Agency

Department Puerto Rico Police Department

Location San Juan, 127

Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 15, 2002

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Charged with murder

Agent Rafael Lopez-Colon 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 127, 294 of 388 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75.8% of this state's fallen. That is 21.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Puerto Rico Police Department, 279 of 364 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.6% of this agency's fallen.

Puerto Rico Police Department

279

of 364 officers

76.6% Felonious

127 — Statewide

294

of 388 officers

75.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious