APRIL 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 4

DPS Trooper Ambushed on

DPS Trooper Ambushed on Highway Outside Waco Texas DPS Trooper Chad Walker was ambushed on Friday March 26 while responding to what he apparently thought was a disabled vehicle parked on the side of a rural road just outside of Mexia, a small town about 40 miles northeast of Waco. Walker, who was alone, pulled up behind the vehicle and was shot in the head and abdomen before he could get out of his patrol car, according to a statement from Todd Snyder, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The suspect who shot Walker was identified as 36-year-old Dearthur Pinson of Palestine, Texas, who saw the patrol car pull in behind his and “immediately emerged from the driver’s seat of the disabled vehicle armed with a handgun and fired multiple rounds at Trooper Walker. The shots penetrated the patrol unit’s windshield striking Walker in both the head and abdomen. Pinson then allegedly walked back to his vehicle, retrieved a backpack and fled the scene on foot. Walker was transported to The Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Waco in critical condition. Meanwhile a state-wide manhunt began to locate the Pinson subject. Law enforcement agencies from across the state assisted in the manhunt which eventually led to the small town of Mexia. DPS, Texas Rangers and other local agencies located the suspect who had barricad- ed himself in a house just outside Mexia. After an hour long standoff, SWAT officers made entry into the home and found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Walker, remained in critical condition the remainder of the weekend, but on the evening of Monday March 29, the Texas Department of Public Safety tweeted: “After extensive life-saving efforts conducted by the Baylor Scott and White medical professionals, it has been determined that Trooper Chad Walker no longer displays signs of viable brain activity and he remains on life-support until he can share the gift of life as an organ donor.” “This final sacrifice embodies Trooper Walker’s actions throughout his life and service as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper. The Walker family is grateful for the continued support and prayers as they remain at Chad’s side,” they added in a second tweet. Walker, who has been a member of the Texas Department of Public Safety since 2015, was transported to a Waco hospital in critical condition. Counselors and a Texas Rangers chaplain have been with Walker’s wife and their 15-year-old son, 7-year-old twin daughters and 2-month-old baby girl, according to Snyder. Since the shooting, more than 0,000 has been donated to Walker’s family via an online crowdfunding campaign to assist with the family’s medical expenses. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the incident. According to criminal records, Pinson had a history of run-ins with the law. In November 2007, he was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison for armed robbery in Texas’ Houston County. As of April 5th, The Rangers have released no known motive for shooting Trooper Walker. Trooper Chad Walker Laid to Rest in His Hometown of Groesbeck GROESBECK, Texas – For five days family, friends, neighbors and colleagues prayed for a miracle. On Wednesday April 7th, those prayers were for the slain trooper’s wife and four children as Walker was laid to rest in a small country cemetery seven miles west of Groesbeck, where he grew up. A light rain was falling as mourners gathered to bid farewell, but the sky began to clear as the service got underway. Schools, the county courthouse, and many businesses were closed in Groesbeck as residents of the town of about 4,200 pause to mourn the death of the veteran law enforcement officer whom just about everybody knew. “Our hearts are with the family and friends of Trooper Walker as they grieve his tragic death in the line of duty,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Trooper Walker’s horrific murder is a solemn reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day to keep our communities safe. Officers traveled from as far as Nebraska and Florida to attend the service at Groesbeck High School Football Stadium which was open to the public. Walker was escorted at 8 a.m. Wednesday from Groesbeck Funeral Home, where fellow officers have stood vigil since last week, to the stadium. The town was bedecked in blue ribbons in Walker’s honor, and residents across Central Texas are being asked to wear blue Wednesday. “At a time like this there’s just no words to say. You wish you had them you wish you knew the words to ease the pain and grief that not only the family has but the whole community has,” Limestone County Judge Richard Duncan said. “There’s folks that have gone out and worked hard [putting up blue ribbons] for their own grief really, a way to share their grief over what’s happened to the Walker family.” “He was a true servant He was just one of the best Texas peace officers I’ve ever met,” Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said. “Chad was doing exactly what he loved to do,” he said. “He was a true servant. 20 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 21