A sheriff’s deputy was gunned down from behind and shot multiple times at close range while fuelling his patrol car in a “cold-blooded assassination,” Texas authorities said Saturday, appealing for help in tracking down the killer.
The fatal shooting prompted an emotional reaction from local officials, who pointed their finger at ramped-up rhetoric against police officers in the United States in protests against perceived police brutality, although they had yet to identify a suspect.
A gunman came up from behind and opened fire on Darren Goforth, 47, in a Houston area gas station Friday night, police said.
“The deputy then fell to the ground and the suspect then continued over to him and shot the deputy again multiple times as he laid on the ground,” said deputy Thomas Gilliland on a local ABC affiliate.
Sheriff Ron Hickman said the killing was one of the worst he has seen.
“I’ve been in law enforcement 45 years and I don’t recall another incident this cold-blooded and cowardly,” Hickman said.
Police are looking for a man with a dark complexion seen on gas station video footage and they released photos of him and his car on Twitter.
Goforth, a white, 10-year veteran of the force, was married with two children.
“Our hearts are broken tonight,” tweeted the sheriff’s office.
“I plead today for the public’s assistance in our efforts to bring the suspect to justice he so rightfully deserves,” Hickman added in an update, saying the suspect was still at large.
He said the “working motive” for investigators was “absolute madness.”
PEOPLE DEAD NOW:::::::::
In response to this article, this is what happens when an oppressed people rise up and fight back. There will be an uprising, history has taught us this! You cannot go around murdering people because of their ethnicity. An eye for an eye springs to mind!
:shakehand2 my point exactly!
Sorry, I have zero sympathy for any police. Look how many innocent black men and women have been murdered. No RIP from me.
Black life matters
October is Louis Farrakhan 100,000 man walk if my memory serves me correct sitting here saying wonder whats gonna really happen that day ..it will be a peaceful March but will on lookers let it stay peaceful.
Yes it is 10/10/15 in the Capital. We will be out in the millions.
I will say the young man’s life matters, but if you’re gonna shake the Apple tree just don’t shake off one. Maybe it’s the Maroon in me, but shake the tree to shake off all the apples or pop dung ah limb. Young people need to look at Shawn LaBeet and take notes before they wanna conduct an even exchange
There’s no one fi one cause mi ago try teck ten fi my one. Nice try brother but you were a fool for stoping at just 1
U know i planned to do million man march i analyze it over n over still thinking if i should go God please forgive for my negative thoughts towards certain ppl
One image ran through my mind while reading this…Sandra Bland’s so called mug shot….I am slowly becoming desensitized towards cop killing. Sad but true. Blame the racists cops who started this I guess they did not think it through. Did they think that there wouldn’t be retaliation?
There is gonna be a uprising. ..if they dont stop killing innocent black ppl…all lives matter….but when yuh walk n kill ppl of a certain race expect the same for urs…..what goes around comes around…stop all innocent killings cah karma know everybody address.