Texas Town Mourns SWAT Commander Killed in Deadly Shootout

A Texas community is mourning the loss of a sheriff’s deputy killed in a shootout Thursday. Four officers were shot by a man who tried to provoke a confrontation with police earlier in the day. After an extended standoff at the man’s home, he opened fire on officers, killing Sgt. Joshua Bartlett, the commander of the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. Bartlett was transported to a local hospital, where he died. 

Bartlett will be laid to rest Friday at 10 a.m., according to an LCSO Facebook post. A large crowd gathered with American flags as a procession carried Bartlett’s body from the hospital. Local news outlet Everything Lubbock reported that flags are at half-staff around the small town. A memorial run was also planned. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Bartlett was also a US Army veteran.

The incident began when one of the gunman’s neighbors called police after witnessing the man walking around his house with a large gun, according to Levelland Police Chief Albert Garcia. When police arrived, they found a white Chevy pickup truck that Texas State Troopers had been searching for after its driver had “appeared to be trying to bait” a trooper into some type of confrontation.

When police approached, Omar Soto Chavira, 22, retreated into his house, prompting police to call the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. Police tried to negotiate with Chavira, but he fired on officers, striking four of them. 

Bartlett was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Three other officers were shot, with one still in critical condition Monday, according to Garcia.

Chavira eventually surrendered to police after a 10-hour standoff, during which police punched holes in the walls and launched tear gas into the home. Garcia said Chavira had been wounded in the standoff but did not specify whether he had been shot.

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