Duty Death: Luis A. Marrero-Díaz, Eliezer Hernández-Cartagena & Luis X. Salamán-Conde - [San Juan and Carolina]
End of Service: 11/01/2021
By Suzie Ziegler
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Three police officers were killed and a fourth was wounded Monday in Puerto Rico after a carjacking, according to the Associated Press.
Two of the deceased officers were shot and a third was run over, Agent José Catalano told the AP. This is the first time in the island’s recent history that so many police officers have been killed in one incident.
“I’ve never had a scene like this,” Capt. José González told AP.
The event triggered a manhunt, with the suspect still at large Monday evening.
According to the New York Times, police said at a news conference a man who matched the suspect’s description was found shot to death early Tuesday in San Juan. Police stressed that they haven’t confirmed the man was connected to the carjacking. Catalano did not immediately give further details.
The incident happened on a busy highway near Puerto Rico’s main airport, near San Juan. A high-ranking official who spoke with the AP on the condition of anonymity said the suspect had been involved in a carjacking in the northern city of Carolina, where he stole a car from a woman and led police on pursuit. He opened fire on officers when they tried to stop him on the highway.
The officers were identified by the Officer Down Memorial Page:
- Agent Luis A. Marrero-Díaz of the Puerto Rico Police Department
- Agent Eliezer Hernández-Cartagena of the Carolina Municipal Police Department
- Agent Luis X. Salamán-Conde of the Carolina Municipal Police Department