Ernesto Caballero-Vega

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127

Felonious

End of Watch April 5, 1997

Age 27

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 363

Incident

Police Officer Ernesto Caballero-Vega was shot and killed while pursuing two fugitives while off-duty in San Juan, PR. Around 10:30am, Officer Caballero-Vega noticed two men when they carjacked an elder person and followed in pursuit while in plain clothing. When the carjackers reached Los Cappa Road in the Cupey neighborhood their vehicle crashed and a shootout broke out resulting in the shooting of the officer. Both suspects had escaped from a prison ambulance days before and both were apprehended hours after the shooting. They were charged locally with weapons act, kidnapping and escape, and federally with carjacking under the felony murder rule, and were both sentenced to life in prison. Officer Ernesto Caballero-Vega had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for four years and was named 1996 Police Officer of the Year. He was assigned to the San Juan Anti-Crime Unit (Saturacion).

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PR-7D596C9E
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.
Pilot Officer Caballero-Vega gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Pilot Officer Caballero-Vega.

— 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 April 5, 1997

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Life in Prison

Pilot Officer Ernesto Caballero-Vega 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