March 2020 Blues Vol 36 No 3

$150,000 I can literally ..what still feel, it smell won’t and get taste you.
every moment of that fateful morning.
Harris County Sheriff Air Unit Video
The date and time are fast approaching
ness, dread and death. I could hear
me, yet again. March the engine of another coming and
9th…2010. How insane is it that so I waited. I swear some nights I can
much time as past and yet, I can still smell the remnants of burnt
literally still feel, smell and taste cordite, drifting in the night air.
every moment of that fateful morning.
Based upon the updates on the
call, we knew there were family
Funny now, just sitting there at members in imminent danger, hiding
the Sheriff’s Office eating some
inside a closet, inside the home. several rounds in order to keep the
damn almond M&M’s in the Sergeant’s
There was no choice. We couldn’t suspect from pursuing and re-en-
Office. It’s my Friday and I wait on anyone else. We had to act. gaging us.
am just trying to make 0600. But So, up the long driveway we go. We make it back out to the road
time and fate would have far different
Stepping over the already spent and I reload my rifle from the extra
plans for me that day, and in a shell casings and seeing the win-
mag I had stuck in the driver’s door.
way…forevermore.
dows shot out on multiple vehicles We take up position behind my unit,
The call came in of a man with a and the travel trailer in the front and I grab for the mike. I let Dispatch
gun, firing said gun in and outside yard. One step forward, then another
know, two Deputies were hit,
of the home. So, off we went. From
and so on. Trying to reach the suspect is still at large, and we are
the Sheriff’s Office all the way to main home on the property and secure
pinned down behind my unit in the
the location, that old Crown Vic was
the remaining family members roadway.
giving me all she could.
who were still in hiding.
Now I do not recall advising the
Right about the time I passed by Then…at 0532 hrs. I saw it. The incoming units to not come directly
a local high school, I felt it. Deep barrel of a long gun coming up out to us. I listened to the radio traffic
This week’s video features our air support unit and showcases their instrumental work here at
inside me…I knew. This was going of the night. Illuminated by ambient
light from an old yard light. incoming units to not try and reach
later, and I distinctly told all the
the Sheriff’s Office. Their team is critical to our operations during day-to-day patrol operations
to be bad and I really wasn’t sure
and in major events such as last year’s ITC chemical plant fire. Click HERE to watch the video
if I was going to survive it. Now I And, the barrel pointing right at us. us. I had lost sight of the suspect
know this all sounds kind of weird, I got on target with my pistol first. I and could not allow them to come
and learn more about the HCSO air support unit.
but I truly believe sometimes we fired and he fired at the same damn down to where we were.
just know something is wrong or time. I clearly remember the muzzle Those few units listened and
HCSO Pony Express Ride
In honor of 71 years of tradition, our
something bad is coming our way. flashed enveloped in what looked stopped down the road from us.
Mounted Patrol Unit traveled on a
(in this case, I was going towards like illuminated sparklers.
We devised a plan to reach the last
pony express-style ride from Harris
the trouble)
The Deputy next to me falling to car that came up behind my unit
County to the Texas State Capitol.
I blacked out the lights and the ground. I stepped over to my and we backed out of there. My rifle
Our riders hand-delivered invitations
stopped just before the residence. left, placing myself between him pointed out the passenger side window.
to state officials to the 88th
Based upon the call and the updates,
and the shooter. Combat reload and
We rolled back out of there
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
I exited with my carbine, re-engaged the suspect, hopefully and to the waiting units and EMS.
slinging it over my shoulder into the giving the hit Deputy time to move. In the end, I look back and I realize
Thank you to our Mounted Patrol
“low ready” position. I walked over Then, the next series of exchanged
just what a terrible incident this
Unit for keeping this tradition alive.
to the largest damn tree I could find shots came, and I’m hit.
really was. A family lost a member,
CLICK HERE to Check out the video
and…I waited. I just listened and My pistol falls to the ground in as the suspect did not survive the
below of our Mounted Patrol
controlled my breathing.
front of me. No time to lean over engagement. Two Deputies would
making their way to Austin. If you’re
Little to no light. Not a sound to and get it. I brought the rifle up and forever more live with having been
visiting NRG park, be sure to say
be heard. Not even a slight breeze continued the fight. The exchange shot in the Line of Duty. And a third
“Howdy” to the many HCSO deputies
or a bird, owl, frogs…nothing. Just continues. We start to fall back
keeping the rodeo grounds safe for
an ever-present sense of loneli-
at this point. Every few feet, I fired
Continued on Page 42
everyone.
8 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 9