Galveston Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Saturday, December 11, 1976
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: 515
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: December 11, 1976
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Narcotics Officer Gregory Urquiaga was accidentally shot and killed by another officer while searching for a suspect at 2300 hours.
He and the other officers were conducting a raid on a heroin suspect in a condo complex, but the suspect was not there. The suspect's girlfriend was able to lure him back to the complex. When an empty elevator opened on the floor the officers began to scramble to find the suspect. As Officer Urquiaga proceeded through a stair well the other officer observed a body and pistol come around the corner quickly, and opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Urquiaga.
Officer Urquiaga had been with the agency for three years and was survived by his wife.