CRANDALL, TX – A Kaufman County sheriff’s deputy and a Crandall police officer were shot early Saturday morning while responding to a silent panic alarm at a Texas Pride convenience store. Kaufman County Sheriff Bryan Beavers confirmed that the officers returned fire on the assailant, resulting in his death.
The incident took place on the 5500 block of FM 741 at approximately 3 a.m. The officers were transported to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas post-shooting. Both are projected to recover from their injuries.
The Exxon station’s area was crowded with police vehicles and cordoned off for investigations, leaving over four dozen evidence markers and two firearms at the scene. The violent encounter left local residents disturbed and apprehensive.
One local resident, Carnell McCurdy, expressed alarm at the occurrence happening just two blocks away from his residence. McCurdy, a father to three young children, expressed heartbreak over the incident. “It’s heartbreaking knowing it’s right in my backyard, thinking I was moving from a neighborhood to a better neighborhood, and it’s just the same every place you go,” McCurdy stated.
Another resident, Sylvester Henderson, echoed similar concerns. Having relocated from Pleasant Grove due to crime, Henderson was frustrated with the persisting issues.
Beavers disclosed that the male deputy involved in the shooting had a decade-long tenure in law enforcement, while the female officer has served for three years.
The incident is currently being investigated by the Texas Rangers, and the identities of the officers and the suspect involved have yet to be disclosed.