Officer Down

Senior Police Officer Jorge Pastore was shot and killed during a hostage barricade at 9308 Bernoulli Drive at about 4:10 am.

Patrol officers had initially responded to the residence for a domestic violence call involving a stabbing shortly before 3:00 am. Arriving officers located an injured victim outside of the home and learned there were two more injured victims inside. As the officers attempted to enter the home to rescue the victims the subject inside opened fire, causing the officers to retreat.

The agency’s SWAT team arrived at the scene and attempted a hostage rescue at about 4:30 am. The subject opened fire on the SWAT team, fatally wounding Officer Pastore and wounding a second officer. The officers returned fire, killing him. The other two victims were also found deceased inside the home.

Officer Pastore had served with the Austin Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, two stepsons, and parents.

Senior Police Officer Tony Martin was killed in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of State Highway 29 and RM 1869 in Liberty Hill at 6:00 am.

Officer Martin was traveling westbound on State Highway 26 when a vehicle traveling eastbound attempted to turn left and struck the police motorcycle. Officer Martin died at the scene.

Officer Martin was a United States Air Force Security Forces veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his wife, son, two daughters, granddaughter, and parents.

Senior Police Officer Eric Lindsey died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty while serving at the Southeast Area Command at 812 Springdale Road in Austin.

Officer Lindsey had served with the Austin Police Department for 20 years. He is survived by his wife and son.

Senior Sergeant Steve Urias died as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Urias worked for the Austin Police Department for 31 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Senior Police Officer Randy Boyd died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 while working patrol.

Officer Boyd served with the Austin Police Department for seven years. He is survived by his wife and twin sons.

Police Officer Andy Traylor succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle crash three days earlier while responding to an emergency call for service at about 2:10 am.

He was traveling on FM 969 when a tractor-trailer attempted to make a U-turn in front of him at Decker Lane. Officer Traylor was unable to avoid a collision and his patrol car became pinned beneath the trailer. He was extricated from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital. He remained on life support and passed away on July 31st, 2021, after his organs were donated.

Officer Traylor was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for nine years. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Senior Police Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq succumbed to injuries sustained four days earlier in a police motorcycle crash at the intersection of Burnet Road and Ohlen Road.

He was providing an escort for a funeral and was attempting to reach the next intersection when a car attempted to turn left through the procession. The car pulled directly into his path, causing him to strike it. He was transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge where he remained until succumbing to his injuries.

The driver who caused the crash was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Officer Abdul-Khaliq was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for 17 years. He is survived by his five children.

Lieutenant Clay Crabb was killed in an automobile collision on U.S. Highway 290, near Sawyer Ranch Road in Hays County, while en route to check low water areas during a period of flooding.

His patrol car hydroplaned, slid into oncoming traffic, and was struck by a large pickup truck during a period of heavy rain.

Lieutenant Crabb had served with the Austin Police Department for 15 years and previously served with the San Angelo Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife and three children. He was killed the day before his 43rd birthday.

Senior Police Officer Jaime Padron was shot and killed after responding to a Wal-Mart store on the I-35 Frontage Road to investigate reports of an intoxicated man who was shoplifting at approximately 2:30 am.

Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Padron spoke with two employees and then tried to stop the man as he attempted to leave the store. The subject immediately attempted to flee on foot but was tackled by Officer Padron and they both fell to the ground. During the ensuing struggle the man produced a small handgun from his pocket, shot Officer Padron in the vest and neck, and then fired at the store employees.

Two Walmart employees tackled the subject and held him down and then used Officer Padron’s radio to notify dispatchers of the shooting. They held him down until responding units arrived and placed him under arrest. On February 21st, 2014, Deputy Padron’s killer was convicted of capital murder and subsequently sentenced to death.

Officer Padron succumbed to his wound at the scene.

In October 2013, Rio Vista Park in San Angelo was renamed Jaime Padron Park in his honor.

Officer Padron was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for three years. He had previously served with the Austin Airport Police Department and the San Angelo Police Department for 14 years. He is survived by his two young daughters and parents.

Police Officer Amy Donovan was killed when a police cruiser accidentally struck her during a foot chase.

At approximately 10:48 p.m., Officer Donovan and her partner observed a suspicious person walking on the 1300 block of Poquito Street. Officer Donovan got out of the car to talk to the man, and he began running. Officer Donovan began to chase the suspect, and her partner put the patrol car in reverse and tried to block the man’s escape route. During the chase, the patrol car struck Officer Donovan and pinned her next to a utility pole. She was taken to Brackenridge Hospital, where she died of her injuries at approximately 12:36 a.m.

The suspect who fled was apprehended later in the week, and it was discovered that he had a parole revocation warrant. After agreeing to a plea deal, the suspect was sentenced to 4.5 years for drug charges. An additional charge was never formally filed against the suspect in court because the prosecuting attorney failed to read the charge during a hearing. In March 2012, the man responsible for Officer Donovan’s death was murdered in Austin.

Officer Donovan had served with the Austin Police Department for five months. She is survived by her husband and four children.

Sergeant Earl Hall suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to a burglary alarm in the downtown area of Austin.

After determining the call was a false report, Sergeant Hall and his partner returned to the station to attend a meeting. Sergeant Hall collapsed during the meeting and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died approximately one hour later.

Sergeant Hall had served with the Austin Police Department for 21 years and had previously served with the Orange Police Department for 3.5 years and the University of Texas at Austin Police Department for 4.5 years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Officer Clinton Hunter was struck and killed by a suspect during a vehicle pursuit.

Another officer had observed the suspect vehicle driving erratically southbound on I-35. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled and led the officer on a chase. The vehicle exited the highway but re-entered northbound. Officer Hunter was attempting to deploy stop sticks when the driver struck him and his patrol unit.

Officer Hunter was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver was also injured in the accident and was taken into custody.

The 28-year-old driver had two felony warrants for his arrest, an extensive record for drunk driving, and was on parole for a 1992 burglary. He was sentenced to life as a result of Officer Hunter’s death. He will be eligible for parole on November 29, 2031.

Officer Hunter was a U.S Army veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for just 14 months, and is survived by his wife and 3-year-old daughter.

Police Officer William Jones was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop at Zilker Park.

Officer Jones was speaking with the driver of the vehicle when the man opened fire, striking him in the chest twice and the neck once. Officer Jones, who was not wearing a vest, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

More than 200 youth soccer teams were attending an international soccer tournament at the park at the time of the shooting.

The suspect fled the scene, but was spotted several hours later near Houston, Texas, approximately 150 miles away. After a short chase the suspect committed suicide. He had already served time in prison and was currently wanted by another jurisdiction for sexual assault.

Officer Jones had served with the Austin Park Police Department for three years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

A memorial to Officer Jones was erected by public contributions and city of Austin funds in Zilker Park at the intersection of Robert E. Lee Road and Barton Springs Road, near the location of his fatal shooting.

Police Officer Drew Bolin was killed when he was struck by a drunk driver.

He was walking towards his cruiser on I-35 when the drunk driver, with a .16 BAC, struck him after driving through a line of flares and around his cruiser.

The 23-year-old driver was convicted in 1997 of intoxicated manslaughter and sentenced to 5 years. In 2000, the Texas Parole Board denied her parole.

Police Officer Bolin served with the Austin Police Department for five months. He is survived by his parents and fiancée.

Police Officer Martinez was killed in an accident when his patrol car hit a tree at the intersection of East Second Street and Chicon Street. He was responding to a shots-fired call when a vehicle entered an the intersection in front of him from Chicon Street. He swerved to avoid the vehicle and struck the tree.

Officer Martinez served with the Austin Police Department for four and a half years and is survived by his wife.

Police Officer Lee Smith succumbed to injuries received in a motorcycle crash on the Mopac Freeway after his steering failed due to a defective part.

He began to recover, but several months after the collision, he suddenly died as a result of his injuries.

Officer Smith was a U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran and served with the Austin Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Police Officer Ralph Ablanedo was shot and killed with an automatic rifle during a traffic stop in the 900 block of East Live Oak Street.

After ticketing the driver of the car, he began to run a check on the male passenger. During the check, the man opened fire with an AK-47, penetrating Officer Ablanedo’s vest.

The suspect was arrested a short time later and was sentenced to death in 1999. The suspect was executed on June 15, 2010.

Officer Ablanedo served with the Austin Police Department for less than five and a half years. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Police Officer Leland Anderson was shot and killed with his own weapon at 8th Street and Congress Avenue after he stopped a van for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, three men attacked him when he attempted to arrest one of the subjects on outstanding traffic warrants. As the suspects fled in the van, they ran over Officer Leland. The three suspects were apprehended minutes later at 4th and Chalmers Streets after ramming several police cars.

The suspects, ages 20, 21, and 24, were charged with capital murder. On November 14, 1975, the 24-year-old shooter was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1976, the second suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The third suspect was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years.

Officer Anderson was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Austin Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Police Officer Birtrong was killed when his cruiser was struck by another vehicle at east 15th and Trinity Streets while he was responding to assist another officer.

Officer Birtrong served with the Austin Police Department for two and previously served with the Del Rio Police Department for seven years. He is survived by his father.

Police Officer Billy Speed was shot and killed by a sniper on the clock tower at the University of Texas.

He was eating lunch in a nearby cafe when he heard the rifle fire. When he went to investigate he was shot by the sniper. The sniper killed a total of 14 people and injured 31 others before several officers and civilians made it to the top of the tower and fatally shot him.

Officer Speed was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Austin Police Department for 13 months. He was survived by his wife and child.