Sergeant

Genaro Matos-Rivera

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Felonious
End of Watch February 24, 1992
Age 52
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
Badge 8-5625
The Vigil Panel 137 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Genaro Matos-Rivera was shot and killed as he attempted to stop an armed robbery at a mini-market in Cidra, Puerto Rico. At 7:30pm, Sergeant Matos-Rivera arrived at a mini-market near his home, on road PR-782 in Cidra, when he noticed two armed suspects committing a robbery. Sergeant Matos-Rivera identified himself as a police officer and one of the suspects opened fire, striking the sergeant two times in the chest and face, killing him immediately. One of the two suspects was caught two days later near the scene. He was charged with first degree murder, armed robbery, illegal weapon possession, and auto theft. The other one is still at large. Sergeant Matos-Rivera served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for 30 years, and was assigned to the District of Cidra.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

30 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Matos-Rivera gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Matos-Rivera.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Juan, 127
Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 24, 1992
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
Age 52
Badge Number 8-5625
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Genaro 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 1992, 93 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 59th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Genaro was 52. 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. Genaro had served 30 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%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Puerto Rico Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Genaro among them.

Across the years

Sergeant Genaro Matos-Rivera

Puerto Rico Police Department · End of Watch February 24, 1992

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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