On October 12, 1999
a 911 call was received in Pleasanton, Texas. In response to this call, a Deputy
Sheriff from Atascosa County arrived on the scene only to be ambushed and killed.
Another Deputy arrived shortly on the scene and he too was shot and killed. Even
before paramedics could arrive, a Texas State Trooper came to the same place and again,
the silence of night was shattered by a high powered rifle killing him also. Dead
were Deputy Sheriff's Thomas Monse and Mark Stephenson and Trooper Terry Miller. All
family men in their 30's with young children. One more retired officer and an
off-duty officer came on the scene to help and were wounded. A civilian by the name
of Wendell Munson drove his pickup into this hail of bullets to help and managed to get
the two wounded men out but not before his pickup was filled with bullet holes and shot
out tires.
The 911 call was
made by a Jeremiah Engleton who had been taken into custody the previous night for
domestic violence against his wife. Upon his release from jail, he plotted his
murderous plan to ambush the very officer who had arrested him. His call was
deliberate and coldly calculated. Yes....he's dead. He took one of the dead
officers revolver and shot and killed himself. When all was said and done, this man
single handedly created one of the worse law enforcement killings in the history of Texas.
These men were only
doing their duty: to serve and protect. In this day in time with police
brutality an issue, let us not forget the brave men and women out there who never know
when they leave their homes to go to work whether or not they will return. Remember
them when they stop you for a traffic violation that they are doing their duty to protect
you and the other people on the highways. Remember them when you think someone is
lurking in the shadows outside your house. Remember them as family men and
women....real people....special people.
Please take the
image below to put on your page to honor all fallen law enforcement officers everywhere to
show your support.
