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Special Officer

Miguel Cantu

San Antonio Police Department — San Antonio, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch November 30, 1907
Age 64
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 22 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 63

Incident

Special Officer Miguel Cantu was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack while working an assignment at the intersection of Durango Street and Matamoros Street at approximately 4:30 pm.

A merry-go-round had been set up in a vacant lot at the intersection and the police chief had assigned Officer Cantu to the lot to keep order.

While Officer Cantu stood in front of a crowd of approximately 100 people, a local criminal who had repeatedly made threats that he wanted to kill a police officer, walked up behind him and shot him in the back, severing his spinal cord. As he fell to the ground he was able to draw his revolver and fired one round, which did not strike the suspect. As Officer Cantu laid on the ground the man shot him two more times, then committed suicide.

Officer Cantu was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds about seven hours later.

Officer Cantu had served as a special police officer and sanitation inspector for approximately three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and several children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Cantu gave the San Antonio Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Cantu.

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

Agency

Department San Antonio Police Department
Type Other
Location San Antonio, Bexar County, TX
Platform Identity sapd.bexar.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 30, 1907
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 64
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Miguel is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1907, 108 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 46th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Miguel was 64. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Miguel had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun; .45 caliber, in 0.6% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Antonio Police Department has 64 officers remembered here, Miguel among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Special Officer Miguel Cantu

San Antonio Police Department · End of Watch November 30, 1907

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-E

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