Atilano Garcia-Mendez

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127

Felonious

End of Watch June 9, 1974

Age 26

Badge 1509

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 363

Incident

Officer Atilano Garcia-Mendez was shot and killed while placing an armed man under arrest as he assisted his partner with a group of individuals with illegal weapons in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Officer Garcia-Mendez and his partner responded to a call of shots fired in a public housing section of Los Mirtos in Carolina, Puerto Rico. When they arrived they found several people with guns and revolvers. Officer Garica-Mendez and his partner intervened, and in the midst of a struggle, he was shot in the back. His partner returned fire and carried Officer Garcia-Mendez to their patrol car and took him to a nearby hospital where he died. Officer Garcia-Mendez was survived by his wife. In the Puerto Rico Police Department week of 1975, Officer Garcia-Mendez was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of the Puerto Rico Police Department for sacrificing his life while performing his duty. His partner was awarded the Silver Medal for putting his life at risk to protect his partner while in danger.

Survivors

Officer Garcia-Mendez was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PR-A3A95DBB
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.
Policeman Garcia-Mendez served with the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Garcia-Mendez.

— 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 June 9, 1974

Age 26

Badge Number 1509

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Policeman Atilano Garcia-Mendez 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