|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, In an extraordinary act of heroism, Sergeant Robert |
|
Wayne Watson Jr. of the Dallas Police Department placed himself in |
|
harm's way to save the life of a fellow first responder during a |
|
deadly standoff on May 1, 2017; and |
|
WHEREAS, On that day, Sergeant Watson and other Dallas police |
|
officers were called to a chaotic scene in East Dallas where a man, |
|
armed with a semiautomatic rifle, had shot and killed his roommate |
|
before wounding a neighbor; the gunman proceeded to open fire on |
|
arriving paramedics, one of whom was struck and critically injured; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, Before he and other officers were forced to take |
|
cover, Sergeant Watson was able to wound the gunman with a shotgun |
|
blast, causing the individual to retreat into his home; this |
|
allowed Sergeant Watson and two other officers enough time to pull |
|
the paramedic, who had suffered severe blood loss, into the |
|
sergeant's squad car so that he could be rushed to the hospital; |
|
other officers rescued the neighbor, and both of the victims |
|
wounded in the shooting are alive today thanks in part to the |
|
courageous efforts of Sergeant Watson; and |
|
WHEREAS, A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Robert Watson |
|
initially moved to Dallas in 2003 to pursue an education in the |
|
ministry; after serving as the youth pastor at Urban Park Assembly |
|
of God in Dallas, he began his career with the Dallas Police |
|
Department in May 2005; in all his endeavors, he is supported by the |
|
love and affection of a fine family that includes his wife of 15 |
|
years, Amy, and their children, Langston, Naysa, and Gideon; and |
|
WHEREAS, Sergeant Robert Watson's valiant response to a |
|
deadly crisis went above and beyond the call of duty, helping to |
|
avert what could have been an even greater tragedy, and he is indeed |
|
deserving of our profound respect and gratitude; now, therefore, be |
|
it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby honor Sergeant Robert Wayne Watson Jr. for his |
|
exceptional bravery in rescuing a fellow first responder during an |
|
active-shooter incident and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
|
the future; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for Sergeant Watson as an expression of high regard by the |
|
Texas House of Representatives. |
|
|
Neave |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 2542 was adopted by the House on May |
|
28, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|