Nilda Díaz Huertas v. Joseph González Falcón et. al

The Puerto Rico chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Puerto Rico Police regarding the killing of Daniel Maldonado Díaz, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran. Maldonado Díaz was experiencing a mental health crisis at his home in Utuado when an officer shot him in the chest—an improper use of deadly force.

Daniel was killed by a gunshot fired by Sergeant Julio C. Nieves Rosado on May 26, 2025, during a crisis intervention at the veteran’s home in the Barriada Nueva neighborhood of Utuado. Daniel’s family states that the officer knew the veteran and was aware that the situation involved a mental health crisis. They further assert that Daniel was unarmed, offered no resistance, and that the officers made no attempt to engage him in dialogue.

When an individual in crisis is a veteran, the police are required to follow General Order 628, which outlines the protocol officers must observe. In this instance, that protocol was not followed.

“The same bullet that struck my son in the heart struck me as well. It effectively killed my own heart,” said Nilda Margarita Díaz Huertas, Daniel’s mother, who witnessed her son’s death on May 26, 2025. You can view her testimony here: