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Deputy Sheriff

Juan Miguel Ruiz

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office — Phoenix, AZ

Felonious

End of Watch October 11, 2021

Age 45

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 177 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 27

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Johnny Ruiz succumbed to injuries sustained two days earlier when he was assaulted by a prisoner inside the District 2 station at 920 E Van Buren Street in Avondale.

He and other deputies had arrested a subject who was wanted for violating parole. Deputy Ruiz transported the man to the district station to book him. As he removed the handcuffs to place him in a holding cell, the man suddenly attacked him. A violent struggle ensued, during which Deputy Ruiz unsuccessfully attempted to use his radio to request assistance. The subject beat Deputy Ruiz unconscious. He then stole Deputy Ruiz's keys and used his patrol car to crash through the station's gate as he fled.

Other deputies located Deputy Ruiz in the holding cell and transported him to a local hospital inside a patrol car.

The subject fled the area before stealing multiple other cars. Later in the day, he drove to the home of a neighbor he had a disagreement with and tried to break in. The neighbor shot and wounded the man, who was then taken into custody. The suspect pleaded guilty to avoid the possibility of a death sentence and was sentenced to life in prison.

Deputy Ruiz never regained consciousness and was kept on life support until October 11th, 2021, so his organs could be donated.

Deputy Ruiz had served with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for three years.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Ruiz gave the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Ruiz.

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

Agency

Department Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ

Platform Identity mcso.maricopa.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 11, 2021

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Juan 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.

Compare against

Time

In 2021, 90 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 66th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Juan was 45. 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. Juan 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

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded