View all 6 Reflections
Most Recent Reflection
Russell,
What a tragic night on 06/30/73. It was a hot june day this would have been your last call of the night if you had not choosen to follow up on the cutting call. Time 9:45pm
I heard you check out on the radio at Tidewind st. With in seconds two other units said they would provide back up. They were only 3 or 5 miles away.
After a few minutes you came on the radio sounding out of breath but clear. "3-2 I've been shot" An emergency was put out all channels.
Officer Gene Palanas said he was 2 blocks away and arrived in 45 seconds. Your Killer was still standing in the yard holding your gun which he some how took away from you during a struggle.
Right behind Palanas was unit 3-4 a two man car arrived with Stover and Mercer. The shooter was apprehended quickly. Palanas and Mercer tried to help you with first aid with a massive chest wound. A Lt, arrived on the scene with in 5 mins and had the officers drive you to the hospital. S.E Baptist code 3. Back in 73 there was little traffic on loop410 it took 6 mins. In 10 mins after the shooting over 30 officers responded with more on the way. There was no advanced life support EMS ambulance than just a load and go.
Despite the whole E.R staff efforts you subsequently expired at 10:40 pm. Several times the disp had to have officer move there cars as some were parking a blk away and running to the scene. The E.R it seemed had over 100 officer jammed in there a sea of blue uniforms
The tragidy continued with the trial dragging out till 1977 in which your killer was only convicted on man slaugther and served less than 2 yrs.
Then your brother committed suicide in 2007, and the passing of your Dad in 2009.
Your parents and family were put through hell by Defense Atty's playing the system.
The tragidy continued with Officer Palanas committing suicide in 1984. I made that scene on another hot day.
I remember seeing you at the Medical Examiners officer its a sight I will never forget.
The address 523 Tidewind looks just as it did 38 yrs ago. It is a small residental street with kids outside playing where this kind of thing should have never happened.
Russell you and your killer were on a collision course that night from all the events min by min that led to the final confrontation. Maybe not specifally you but a Police officer you just happened to volunteer for the call on June 30th 1973.
retired police officer
san antonio texas
June 29, 2011
