(The Center Square) – Two Houston area law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty on Wednesday as Texas leads the U.S. in officer deaths.
On Wednesday morning, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jesus Vargas was shot and killed by a man with an extensive criminal history while attempting to serve a warrant. Vargas was working with the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force.
A six-hour manhunt ensued resulting in a police shootout in south Houston in a commercial area off of Stella Link Road. The perpetrator was found hiding in a Dumpster by U.S. Marshal K-9 Rocky. As officers approached, the suspect opened fire, shooting Rocky two times. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect in the Dumpster, the Houston Police Department said. Rocky was carried to a helicopter, flown to a veterinarian, had surgery and is reportedly in stable condition.
Vargas, who served in the sheriff’s office for 17 years, “was a dedicated public servant, known for his integrity, compassion, and commitment to our community,” BCSO said in a Facebook post. “He was more than a team member – he was a friend, mentor, and inspiration to everyone who knew him. His professionalism and kind nature left a lasting impact on our office and the residents he served. … Deputy Vargas’s service and the positive impact he made in Brazoria County will never be forgotten. He will be greatly missed.”
At a news conference after the manhunt ended, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas Chief T. Michael O’Connor said he wanted to emphasize the importance of the “collaborative effort” of law enforcement in finding the culprit.
“What happened is extremely tragic. There is evil in this world. There are demonic people in this world. But law enforcement stand steadfast to pursue the evilness and the demonic nature as they are predators preying on the general public.”
Also on Wednesday, roughly one hour north of Houston in Navasota, a police sergeant was killed in the line of duty while pursuing a suspect. Sergeant Mark Butler was killed in a head-on collision. The suspect also died.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic loss of Navasota Police Department’s, Sergeant Mark Butler, who passed away in the line of duty this afternoon. We ask for the community’s thoughts and prayers for the officer’s family, loved ones, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time,” the city of Navasota said.
The Navasota Examiner reported, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating loss of one of our hometown heroes – a Navasota Police Officer who gave his life today protecting our community. This is deeply personal for us. These men and women are more than officers—they’re family.”
The publisher of the newspaper is married to the chief of police “and these officers are like her children. This loss cuts deep for everyone in Navasota/ Grimes County,” the paper said. “May we honor his sacrifice and never forget the bravery and love he showed for us all.”
The news comes as the greatest number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty last year were in Texas. Eighteen were killed in Texas out of 147 federal, state, county, municipal, military, tribal, and campus officers who died in the line of duty last year.
That’s a 25% increase from 2023, according to the latest data published by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
“The leading cause of these line-of-duty deaths for police officers in 2024 was gunfire, and the largest increase over 2023 resulted from traffic-related incidents, both underscoring the growing risks faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” the NLEOMF said.
Nationwide, firearms-related fatalities were the leading cause of line of duty deaths in 2024, representing a 13% increase from 2023. The majority of deaths occurred during a traffic enforcement or while attempting to make an arrest. Traffic-related fatalities increased 48% in 2024, according to the report.
The deadliest year on record for law enforcement was 2021 when 586 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty.
