John Anthony Riojas
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Anthony Riojas

San Antonio Police Department — San Antonio, TX
Felonious
End of Watch February 3, 2001
Age 37
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 148 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Rocky Riojas died shortly after being shot during a foot chase in a troubled apartment complex.

A struggle ensued after he caught the subject. The man was able to gain control of Officer Riojas' weapon and shot him once in the head before fleeing the scene. Other officers were in the area and responded to the gunfire.

Patrolman Riojas was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds approximately two hours later.

The man was arrested several days later and sentenced to death. He was executed by lethal injection on April 15th, 2015.

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.
Patrolman Riojas gave the San Antonio Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Riojas.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch February 3, 2001
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2001, 158 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 23rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 37. 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. John had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% 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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Patrolman John Anthony Riojas

San Antonio Police Department · End of Watch February 3, 2001

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 9-E

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