Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: CIC
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: January 29, 2002
Weapon Used: Officer's rifle
Suspect Info: Not available
Sergeant Hector Ortiz-Alvarez was accidentally shot and killed while serving a warrant on a murder suspect.
He placed his M-16 rifle on the ground as he jumped over a fence, and as his partner handed the rifle to him it discharged, fatally wounding him. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wound.
Sergeant Ortiz-Alvarez had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for 14 years. He was survived by his wife and three sons.