Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico
End of Watch: Thursday, September 6, 1990
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 10832
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 6, 1990
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Arrested in 1991
Agent Jose Bernabe-Gonzalez and Agent Pedro Sanchez-Lopez were fatally shot on by two suspects who had just stolen a car. His partner also died in the confrontation.
At about 10:40 pm both officers were patrolling the Camino Alejandrino in Caimito when they noticed two people stealing a vehicle in a parking lot. When the officers announced themselves, both suspects fled with the stolen vehicle, beginning a chase until they reached the public housing complex Villa Esperanza. Once in the parking lot of the public housing complex, one of the men opened fire on the patrol car from approximately 50 yards away.
Agent Bernabe-Gonzalez died while attending to Agent Sanchez-Lopez who was seriously wounded when he had been shot while he was out of the car. Both officers died in the scene.
The subject who shot them fled to the United States Virgin Islands where he shot and killed Police Officer Dexter Mardenborough on January 27th, 1991. He was arrested in New York City in February 1991 and linked to five additional murders in New York and the Caribbean.
Agent Bernabe-Gonzalez had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for nine years and was assigned to the Precinct 462 Caimito. He is survived by his parents.