Samuel Hidalgo-Cardona

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127

Felonious

End of Watch September 12, 1994

Age 43

Badge 1745

The Vigil Panel 140 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 363

Incident

Agent Samuel Hidalgo-Cardona was shot and killed with his own weapon as he attempted to intervene with a mental patient in the Cerro Gordo neighborhood in Moco, Puerto Rico, at approximately 5:00 am. He had responded to the scene along with another officer and a cadet after receiving a call that a mental subject had broken into a house and was assaulting several residents. As the officers attempted to speak to the man he lunged at them and gained control of Agent Hidalgo-Cardona's service weapon. He shot Agent Hidalgo-Cardona in the abdomen before being shot and killed by other responding officers. He is survived by his wife and two sons. One of his sons also joined the Puerto Rico Police Department. The police station in Moca, Puerto Rico, was renamed the Agent Samuel Hidalgo Cardona Police Station in his honor.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PR-C916D5AB
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 Hidalgo-Cardona 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, Agent Hidalgo-Cardona.

— 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 September 12, 1994

Age 43

Badge Number 1745

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Agent Samuel Hidalgo-Cardona 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