Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I missed the anniversary by three days which tends to happen in busy times, but that does not mean that you are not always remembered and honored by your law enforcement family.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)

January 26, 2024

A life gone too soon instigated by cowards who hopefully live with the shame of their part in Officer Chase's demise the rest of their pathetic lives. RIP hero.

Sgt. Robert Murcott
LASD

January 25, 2023

Rest in peace.

J.R.

January 24, 2023

Officer Chase: Your death is so sad and almost unbelievable. It has special significance since I was in the process of applying to Dallas PD at about the same time as you. My Aunt, Uncle and a couple cousins lived in Dallas and my brother went to college there. I ended up staying in my home state after being hired in my home town, but thanks so much for serving with honor and dignity. Some people are not just not good for whatever reason, but you obviously were directly the opposite--just a good Officer, trying to make a difference. Thank you for your sacrifice and outstanding service.

Jim Lopey, Asst. Sheriff (ret.)
Washoe County Sheriff's Office (Reno, Nv.) & NVDPS

January 23, 2023

John was a good friend of mine. He and I were among 37 students who went to France together. John was an OUTSTANDING young man I will never forget.

Stephen Fisher
Friend

March 10, 2022

Officer Chase, yet another January 23rd is among us where we say thank you as well as think of you, your family, the numerous brave and men and women of the Dallas Police Department who served with you and especially on that day, and the many brave men and women of the Dallas Police Department who currently serve. As always, God Speed sir and know that we will never forget and never stop honoring.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)

January 23, 2022

I have never forgotten this awful awful tragedy of a young life gone in the service of us. So young. What a sad day it was and the brutality of the crowd edging on the act was another tragedy itself for Dallas. I never met Ofc Chase yet have never forgotten his name. I hope God’s Grace saves the souls of that evil crowd of that day. Until then may they find lil rest of conscious.

Bill Morse
Country Boy then New to the City who Cannot Forget

April 16, 2021

Officer Chase, your story changed my life. It's been 33 years and I will never forget.

Carl Chinn (Never served)
Regret to say, I never served.

January 23, 2021

Officer Chase, on this 33rd anniversary of your senseless death, I reiterate everything I have said in previous reflections left for you. I hope your family, friends, loved ones and former colleagues all take time today to reflect and remember you, and to honor the heroism and courage you displayed and the sacrifice you made for the safety of the people of Dallas. God Speed my friend.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)

January 23, 2021

I had left a reflection about 14 years ago regarding Officer Chase, citing my memories of his brutal and senseless murder. I was 18 years old in 1988 when Officer Chase was senselessly and brutally murdered, a senior in high school and even back then, a police hopeful with the naïve belief that even though police work is dangerous, people are generally and overall good, many of them just make bad decisions. I remember this news story of course for the sadness of a police officer, a husband, a son, a sibling, etc., senselessly losing his life, but also for the absolute shock of the callousness and evilness of the people who not only stood by and watched, but who so cold heartedly encouraged the killer to shoot, and to shoot, and shoot again. To this day, 32.5 years later, the sadness, the anger and the nauseating feeling I get when I think of this is every bit as strong as it was back then. I have always been a frequent visitor of the ODMP web page, as it is truly and amazing web site to honor amazing men and women. But as is the case with most things in life, my frequency in visiting the site has a tendency to diminish at times due to work and personal obligations, but I sporadically revisit off and on as it is truly is, as I just mentioned, an amazing web site.

In light of recent events and the way things have been portrayed by what I believe to be a very biased media, I decided that instead of focusing on news outlets and newspapers my time would be better served to spend time visiting ODMP yet again. As I mentioned, this site honors truly amazing men and women, and Officer Chase, you my friend are certainly one of those men. As I visit, remember and honor you today, I could not help but to be engrossed in a reflection left by Officer David Butler which I thought was amazing. That reflection lead me to an article commemorating the 30th "anniversary" of your death and some of the quotes by Officer Dan Hebert in that article, not to mention his reflections also, and of course the numerous reflections left by other Dallas officers.

This incident will never, ever make sense to me. But, your actions that day and your sacrifice will never, ever be forgotten nor will the all of the amazing men and women of the Dallas Police Department. Men and women who currently serve and who have served in the past, and obviously the amazing men and women who have give their lives in the name of public safety. Rest in peace always sir and thank you again for your service.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven RizzoDelaware State Police (Retired)

June 24, 2020

We will never forget your sacrifice brother!

Officer Adams
SIUE PD

January 23, 2020

Rest in Peace my Friend. You are still missed by many.

Dan Hebert
FRIEND...DPD & ATF

January 23, 2020

Rest in peace Officer Chase.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

March 7, 2019

May you Rest In Peace and hopefully the worthless scum egging your killer on have had karma bite them.

Luke McNamara police supporter civilian
Civilian

December 10, 2018

Hello, I realized that I submitted to you, a rough draft of my reflection on Officer John Glenn Chase. Here is the final draft. I apologize for the mistake. David Butler

Officer John Glenn Chase
I still think about him from time to time. It just happens. Even though he was killed many years ago. I'll hear something on the news or the radio; it could be about police or it could be about the mentally ill .. and I'm back to the day he was killed, and his murderer. This anecdote is about both.
Maybe it's because it was a 'if I had just done this or that it differently' kind of day. I'm sharing this, at least this way, for the first time. Perhaps it will be cathartic. I'll find out. All names and events described here are true. Feel free to download it to read offline. Share if you wish. If you have comments or questions, feel free to ask.. Please be respectful. If you can't, just don't bother.

He was named, during the fervor and excitement of the ticket tape parades, after Colonel John Glenn Jr. Who was a United States Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, and United States Senator from Ohio. In 1962, he became the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times.
There existed, newly minted parents who were YUGE fans and obviously respected him greatly and wanted their son to be a namesake of such a hero. Their son was to become a hero in his own right. He lived until the end with the idea he wanted to make a difference and to assist in a realm of humanity that needed the skill set that he had.
I wondered if Astronaut Glenn knew about Officer Glenn. He didn't go by John, or John Chase..it was John Glenn Chase. He was proud of his name. I didn't know him very well, as he had not been an officer that long. But what stands out the most about him,.was that if you came in eye contact with him, you got a smile. No matter who you were or when. He gave you that infectious smile.
We both worked downtown Dallas at the time. As many did, I had an off duty job I pulled at the McDonald's on Commerce St. Downtown was a mess. The crime rate was out of hand. The police chief was at odds with the predominantly liberal, police bashing city council. He was pleading for more officers. Instead the council spent money on a study that showed the crime rate was unbelievablely low. The results didn't mention that the people counted in the skewed study, included not only people who worked there, but also those who were driving or passing through downtown, making it bogus and serving the agenda of the city council. It was if the city council wanted mayhem.
Police Chief Billy Prince publicly accused the city council for the atmosphere of animosity towards the police that loomed over the city when Officer Chase was killed. He ended up resigning, and the police department changed their weapons policy.
When I first came in contact with the soon to be cop killer, Carl D. Williams, he was already at his wit's end, and tired. Tired of using his defective brain to survive in a world where nothing worked out for him. He had been kicked out of, rejected and abandoned by seemingly everybody. School, friends, family, hospitals, psychiatric wards, and shelters. Everything and everybody.
I was to take his liberty once more. Tossing someone in jail for trespassing was the government's way to tell someone that they are truly not welcome here. I would forbade him of this newly found cozy sleeping spot. For once, he thought, he could he get some rest. When I came in contact with him, my hand was on my baton or mace. If I had different tools, training and places to take him, would he not turn into a cop killer? It was me and people like me, that society used to control Williams. And he just wasn’t liking it.
He was difficult and complicated. Barred by the huge nearby Lamar St. Shelter, I drove him to another shelter, he was in handcuffs. He was soon booted out of there too. When I told him if I caught him again trespassing in buildings on my post, he would be placed in jail. He gave me that look on his face..not of anger, but rather it was as if I had forsaken him. That look.
It seemed inevitable you know, me arresting him. As I expected, he became quite angry and threatened me. All officers get threatened, and it's like, okie dokie, just get in line. But some threats are acted on. Another guy I had locked up, the day he got out of jail, came looking for me at the police station..wrong place, wrong time. But quite the ordeal.
Williams told me with all the hate and anger he could muster, when he got out, it my time, he was going to get me. Psychologist would call his anger and hatred toward me displacement or projection. His feelings toward me were created long before we came in contact.
Police dealing with the mentally ill who pose a threat to themselves or others, is something that will always be contentious. It's easy to critical for some, when you possess with a little bit of biased information. If you were not there, you will never be in possession of all the facts to render a unbiased opinion of what happened.
Nothing really is a random event I suspect. What appears senseless and chaotic to us is all part of something much bigger that we are unaware of. I don’t think evil is ever God’s will ever. God is love but I do believe that he uses us all when the opportunity is there. What was started in darkness and evil was ended by a man with the courage and training to end it.
Chase’s killing – which happened just nine days after another Dallas officer, James A. Joe, was fatally shot while off duty – rocked the city, years before the murder of five officers in July 2016 would do the same. But the year Chase was killed, the total of city and county officers kept climbing.
But back to that day...
I was able to get an officer who owed me a favor. Detective Michael Durst agreed to fill in my Saturday day shift at the McDonald's downtown, at what was supposed to be a beautiful day. But it wasn’t to be. Both the weather and the city would rear it's ugly head. Both in ways I didn’t expect.
I'm also a aircraft pilot and was long overdue on a promise to take a friend of mine flying. So it was all arranged. We took off from North Dallas airport that early Saturday morning, headed to anywhere we pleased. It was enjoyable. But soon, the winds became choppy. Then very gusty. We were being shakened and tossed around ever increasingly. I was wondering just how was this happening, as the weather briefing I received didn't indicate it. Then my passenger said the words I didn't want to hear. "I feel like I'm going to throw up”. Not good, as it was contagious, if she barfed,.I would just start barfing right along with her. Yep, time to head back. Not only it was becoming increasingly gusty, it was blowing crossways in relation to the small singular landing strip. Strong crosswinds can be challenging, but gusts exponentially increases the risks.As I got close to touching down, a gust tossed the plane up and off the strip. I throttled and proceeded to go around and try it again, and I changed my strategy. What bothered me the most was that I had a passenger with me. She asked me what was going on, what's wrong. I told her everything was fine. The second time, I came in fast, to help alleviate the effects of the strong gusty crosswinds. Luckily, I was flying a aerobatic plane that had more control abilities than one that wasn't. If I couldn't touch down and be able to stop before I ran out of pavement, I would have to fly to a larger airport,with much longer multi-directional-landing strips to land. But It worked though, Again, a wind gust wanted to thrust the plane up and over, but I forced the plane down on the small runway and managed to park it. I was pissed and shakened..No way would I take off with these weather conditions. What the hell happened. This is a leading reason of aircraft mishaps.
During one of the crapiest flight I've ever had, Carl D Williams was busy downtown. He went inside McDonald's and he tried to pick a fight with Durst, who promptly kicked him out. Outside, Williams noticed a better opportunity to carry out his mission..Across the street next to the parking lot, he noticed that Officer Chase was writing a traffic ticket to the driver of a car he had just pulled over. Williams tried to pick a fight with Officer Chase, who asked him to stand back, he'd help him when he was finished with the traffic stop. But Williams waited until the right second to attack Chase and gain control of Chase's weapon, a 44 magnum. At the time this weapon was permissible. The city dept. was slow to change to a more uniform weapons policy. An officer could carry a 38 special or larger caliber. A 44 magnum is a devastating weapon by all means. A cannon.
I can't speak as to why Chase decided to carry it..other than no officer expects to be shot by his own weapon. After a brief violent scuffle, Chase ended up on his knees, and Williams ended up with Chase's 44 magnum, pointing at Chase's head. Officer Chase did then what many would do..as he knew Williams didn't just steal his weapon for the heck of it....Chase placed his hands together and pleaded with Williams not to shoot him. For the first time in his life perhaps, Williams had unparalleled power..even for a few moments. It was to be the happiest yet shortest time in his torturous and agonizing time of his life. It was soon to be all over, and he was going out in a blaze of glory.
All this happened quite quickly. The surge of power. Chase pleading for his life. The adjacent bus stop had people shouting "Shoot, shoot..shoot him!! " Williams reportedly smiled as he pulled the trigger on Chase's own weapon, the 44 magnum. It was a head shot. Chase's body ended up face down, and Williams started casually walking back towards McDonald's. Miscreants at the adjacent bus stop shouted for Williams to come back and shoot him again. Williams obliged..twice more. All three, head shots. The three loud booms of the 44 magnum were unmistakable and produced an eerie echo in the cavernous downtown sky scrapers. Except for those morons who were celebrating, hundreds of people ran from the carnage, making it difficult for Det. Durst to fight his way towards the sound of the shots. Making his way too, was an off-duty Sgt. working at a nearby bank. Williams wasn’t hard to spot; crazy looking dude, sauntering along by himself, with the world’s most powerful handgun. Williams made it across the street to the corner of the Federal Building. Durst made it directly across from him, using the newspaper boxes as cover. The Sgt. made it to the far side of Commerce, forming a triangle of all three. Williams squared off against Durst. Having a goofy look on his face, Williams maintained his gaze on Det.Durst. Both officers were yelling at Williams to drop the weapon. Even though it lasted only a few seconds, time slowed way down. Durst told me later that the gaze that Williams had on him, seem to last forever. The goofy smile disappeared, as Williams suddenly noticed the Sgt. who was white. Williams smiled again, then suddenly attempted to bring the 44 magnum to bare at the Sgt instead of Det. Durst. Both officers unleashed a barrage of bullets at and into William's body, knocking him back up against the Federal Court house building. He died instantly.
I believe at that point it was the killers way of having some kind of win. I will take what is most valuable to you, your life. Take you away from your young beautiful wife and your family. Lastly will leave you and the world with the lasting reminder of the fact I was here and I can and did, take your life.
Heading back home, I wished I had just stayed in bed. Or at least not have wasted the favor owed me by Durst by trading work days. My hands were still shaking and I was in a bad mood. It was supposed to be a good day. And it was anything but. It was going to get worse.
Driving to the Manor House on Commerce St., I would pass by McDonald. Besides, I wanted to say thanks to Detective Durst. If you picture the downtown skyline, the tallest building there, the one with running green lights was accross from McDonald's. And next to both was a large flat parking lot. A parking lot I walked through thousands of times, had arrests, chases and fights in.
Driving on through, I saw a bunch of police cars and uniforms accross from McDonald's. Not an unusual site downtown. But then I noticed the entire homicide squad, standing next to a body covered in a white sheet. Something is going on, I thought. Then I noticed a female officer I knew, off to herself, crying. Oh man. She saw me, and started to walk to my car. Who is it, (not 'was') Chase, she said, John Glenn. I wanted to get out of my car. But would only be in the way. I then found out it was Williams.
Was this a mentally deranged killer's only and last chance at power that had eluded him his entire life? It's the perfect deal. He's done and wants to end his life. He gets that God oh mighty, yet short-lived power. Direct it at the manifestation of much of his anguish. Then he gets his ticket cashed in. That's how it works. In this and many other scenarios like it.
At Chase's funeral, I ran into a old friend from school. It was very nice to see her and her newlywed husband. She seem to tap into the sorrow I was feeling at the time. I decided to break ranks and sit with them. Walking into the church, she asked me if I wanted a tissue. Of course not, I responded. But later during the sermon I had to take her up with her offer. More than once.
For Detective Durst and the Sergeant, it was what police depts call a 'Good Shoot' Both received rewards and their pictures in the papers. Both would be forever referred to as a decorated officer. Even when Detective Durst began to act out and act up, tarnishing his immaculate police career, kicked out then later arrested for domestic violence, he would be referred to as a decorated officer. No one will ever know exactly why he turned bad. Could it be, despite his insistence otherwise that he was just fine? Did he have times in which he awoke at night, like other officers, to see the man he shot to death sitting on the corner of the bed, asking why he had to be killed? Me? If I had just had the tools to handle Williams differently. If I just had not of traded with Durst..If I had just...

Officer John Glenn Chase
Dallas Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Saturday, January 23, 1988

David Butler retired
Dallas County Police

March 23, 2018

John Glenn Chase
I still think about him from time to time. It just happens. Even though he was killed 30 years ago. I'll hear something on the news or the radio; it could be about police or it could be about the mentally ill .. and I'm back to the day he was killed, and his murderer. I'm writing about both here.
Maybe it's because it was a 'if I had just done this or that it differently' kind of day. I'm sharing this, at least this way, for the first time. Perhaps it will be cathartic. I'll find out. All names and events described here are true.
This is longer than an average post. Feel free to download it to read offline. Share if you wish. If you have comments or questions, feel free to ask.. Please be respectful. If you can't, just don't bother.

He was named, during the fervor and excitement of the ticket tape parades, after Colonel John Glenn Jr. Who was a United States Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, and United States Senator from Ohio. In 1962, he became the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times.
There existed, newly minted parents who were YUGE fans and obviously respected him greatly and wanted their son to be a namesake of such a hero. Their son was to become a hero in his own right. He lived until the end with the idea he wanted to make a difference and to assist in a realm of humanity that needed the skill set that he had.
I've always wondered if Astronaut Glenn knew about Officer Glenn. He didn't go by John, or John Chase..it was John Glenn Chase. He was proud of his name. I didn't know him very well, as he had not been an officer that long. But what stands out the most about him,.was that if you came in eye contact with him, you got a smile. No matter who you were or when. He gave you that infectious smile. That smile.
We both worked downtown Dallas at the time. As many did, I had an off duty job I pulled at the McDonald's on Commerce St. Downtown was a mess. The crime rate was out of hand. The police chief was getting ignored by the predominantly liberal, police bashing city council, who was pleading for more officers. Instead the council spent money on a study that showed the crime rate was unbelievablely low. The results didn't mention that the people counted in the skewed study, included not only people who worked there, but also those who were driving or passing through downtown..making it bogus and serving the agenda of the city council.
But the chief made sure it was known. He publicly accused the city council for the atmosphere of animosity towards the police that loomed over the city when Officer Chase was killed. He ended up resigning. Later, the police department went from the weapon of the officer's choice, to Glocks.
When I started to come in contact with the soon to be Cop killer, Carl D. Williams, he was at wit's end, and tired. Tired of using his defective brain to survive in a world where nothing worked out for him. He had been kicked out of, rejected and abandoned by seemingly everybody. School, friends, family, hospitals, psychiatric wards, the state, and shelters
I was to take his liberty once more. Tossing someone in jail for trespassing was the government's way to tell someone that they are truly not welcome here. I would forbade him of this wonderful, newly found cozy sleeping spot. For once could he get some rest. He was clearly on edge..when I talked to him, my hand was on my baton or my can of mace.
He was difficult and complicated and bared by the huge nearby Lamar St. Shelter. When I drove him to another shelter, he was in handcuffs. He was soon booted out of there too. When I mentioned if I caught him again trespassing on my beat, that he would be placed in jail, that look on his face..not of anger, but rather it was as if I had forsaken him.. Or maybe it was a wave of emotion that came over me at the time. That look.
It seemed inevitable you know, me arresting him. As I expected, he became quite angry and threatened me.
All officers get threatened, and it's like, okie just get in line. But some threats are acted on. Another individual came looking for me at the police station wrong place, wrong time. But quite the ordeal.
Williams told me with all the hate and anger he could muster, when he got out, it my time, when he got out. Psychologist would call his anger and hatred toward me displacement or projection.
Police dealing with the mentally ill who pose a threat to themselves or others, is something that will always be contentious. It's easy to critical for some, when you possess with a little bit of biased information. If you were not there, you will never be in possession of all the facts to render a unbiased opinion of what happened.
Nothing really is a random event I suspect. What appears senseless and chaotic to us is all part of something much bigger that we are unaware of. I don’t think evil is ever God’s will ever. God is love but I do believe that he uses us all when the opportunity is there. What was started in darkness and evil was ended by a man with the courage and training to end it.
Chase’s killing – which happened nine days after another Dallas officer, James A. Joe, was fatally shot while off duty – rocked the city, years before the murder of five officers in July 2016 would do the same. But the year Chase was killed, the total of city and county officers kept climbing.
But back to that day...
I was able to get an officer who owed me a favor. Detective Michael Durst agreed to fill in my Sat day shift at the McDonald's downtown, at what was supposed to be a beautiful Saturday. But it wouldn't be. Both the weather and the city reared it's ugly head. Both in ways I couldn't expect.
I'm also a aircraft pilot and long overdue on a promise to take a friend of mine flying. So it was all arranged. We took off from North Dallas airport that early Saturday morning, headed to anywhere we pleased. It was enjoyable. But soon, the winds became choppy. Then very gusty. We were being shakened and tossed around ever increasingly. I was wondering just how was this happening, as the weather briefing I received didn't indicate it. Then my passenger said the words I didn't want to hear. "I feel like I'm going to..' Not good, as it was contagious, if she barfed,.I would just start barfing right along with her. Yep, time to head back. Not only it was becoming increasingly gusty, it was blowing crossways to the direction of the small singular landing strip. Strong crosswind can be challenging, make it gusty exponentially increases the risks.As I got close to touching down, a gust tossed the plane up and off the strip. I throttled and proceeded to go around and try it again, and change my strategy. What bothered me the most was that I had a passenger with me. She asked me what was going on, what's wrong. I told her everything was fine. I came in fast, cruising speed, the second time, to help alleviate the effects of the strong gusty crosswinds. Luckily, I was flying a aerobatic plane that had more control ability than one that wasn't. If I couldn't touch down and be able to stop before I ran out of pavement, I would have to fly to a larger airport,with much longer multi-directional-landing strips to land. But It worked though...I came in fast, another gust wanted to thrust me up and over, but I forced the plane down on the small runway and managed to park it. I was pissed and shakened..No way would I take off with this weather conditions. What the hell happened. This is a leading reason of aircraft mishaps.
During one of the crapiest flight I've ever had, Carl D Williams was busy downtown. He went inside McDonald's and he tried to pick a fight with Durst, who promptly kicked him out. Outside, Williams noticed a better opportunity to carry out his mission..Across the street next to the parking lot, he noticed that Officer Chase was writing a traffic ticket to the drivers of a car he had just pulled over. Williams tried to pick a fight with Officer Chase, who asked him to stand back, he'd help him when he was finished with the traffic stop. Williams waited until the right second to attack Chase and gain control of Chase's weapon, a 44 magnum. At the time this weapon was permissible. The city dept. was slow to change to a more uniform weapons policy. An officer could carry a 38 special or larger caliber. A 44 magnum is a devastating weapon by all means. A cannon.
I know what you are thinking, punk, Clint Eastwood says it's the most powerful handgun in the world. Perhaps at the time it was, it's been supplanted currently, by the most powerful production handgun round, the .500 Smith and Wesson Magnum.
I can't speak as to why Chase decided to carry it..other than no officer expects to be shot by his own weapon. After a brief violent scuffle, Chase ended up on his knees, and Williams ended up with Chase's 44 magnum, pointing at Chase's head. Officer Chase did then what many would do..as he knew Williams didn't just steal his weapon for the heck of it....Chase placed his hands together and pleaded with Williams not to shoot him. For the first time in his life, Williams had unparalleled power..even for a few moments. It was to be the happiest yet shortest time in his torturous and agonizing time of his life.
All this happened quite quickly. The surge of power. Chase pleading for his life. The adjacent bus stop had people shouting "Shoot, shoot..shoot him!! " Williams reportedly smiled as he pulled the trigger on Chase's own weapon, the 44 magnum. It was a head shot. Chase's body ended up face down, and Williams started casually walking back towards back to McDonald's. The bus crowd miscreants shouted for Williams to come back and shoot him again. Williams obliged..twice more. All three, head shots.
Heading back home, I wished I had just stayed in bed. Or not wasted the favor owed me by Durst trading work days. My hands were still shaking and in a bad mood. It was supposed to be a good day. And it was anything but.
Driving to the Manor House on Commerce St., I would pass by McDonald. Besides, I wanted to say thanks to Detective Durst. If you picture the downtown skyline, the tallest building there, the one with running green lights was accross from McDonald's. And next to both was a large flat parking lot. A lot I walked through thousands of times, had arrests, chases and fights in.
Driving on through, I saw a bunch of police cars and uniforms accross from McDonald's. Not an unusual site downtown. But I noticed the entire homicide squad, standing next to a body covered in a white sheet. Something is going on, I thought. Then I noticed a female officer I knew, off to herself, crying. Oh man. She saw me, and started to walk to my car. What? She said..Who is it, (not was, is OK?) Chase, she said, John Glenn. I wanted to get out of my car..but drove on to the Manor House.
Was this a mentally deranged killer's only and last chance at power that had eluded him his entire life? It's the perfect deal. He's done and wants to end his life. He gets that God oh mighty, yet short-lived power. Direct it at the manifestation of much of his anguish.Then he gets his ticket cashed in.
I can't speak as to why Chase decided to carry it..other than no officer expects to be shot by his own weapon. After a brief violent scuffle, Chase ended up on his knees, and Williams ended up with Chase's 44 magnum, pointing at Chase's head. Officer Chase did then what many would do..as he knew Williams didn't just steal his weapon for the heck of it....Chase placed his hands together and pleaded with Williams not to shoot him. For the first time in his life, Williams had unparalleled power..even for a few moments. It was to be the happiest yet shortest time in his torturous and agonizing time of his life.
All this happened quite quickly. The surge of power. Chase pleading for his life. The adjacent bus stop had people shouting "Shoot, shoot..shoot him!! " Williams reportedly smiled as he pulled the trigger on Chase's own weapon, the 44 magnum. It was a head shot. Chase's body ended up face down, and Williams started casually walking back towards back to McDonald's. The bus crowd miscreants shouted for Williams to come back and shoot him again. Williams obliged..twice more. All three, head shots.
Heading back home, I wished I had just stayed in bed. Or not wasted the favor owed me by Durst trading work days. My hands were still shaking and in a bad mood. It was supposed to be a good day. And it was anything but.
Driving to the Manor House on Commerce St., I would pass by McDonald. Besides, I wanted to say thanks to Detective Durst. If you picture the downtown skyline, the tallest building there, the one with running green lights was accross from McDonald's. And next to both was a large flat parking lot. A lot I walked through thousands of times, had arrests, chases and fights in.
Driving on through, I saw a bunch of police cars and uniforms accross from McDonald's. Not an unusual site downtown. But I noticed the entire homicide squad, standing next to a body covered in a white sheet. Something is going on, I thought. Then I noticed a female officer I knew, off to herself, crying. Oh man. She saw me, and started to walk to my car. What? She said..Who is it, (not was, is OK?) Chase, she said, John Glenn. I wanted to get out of my car..but drove on to the Manor House.
Was this a mentally deranged killer's only and last chance at power that had eluded him his entire life? It's the perfect deal. He's done and wants to end his life. He gets that God oh mighty, yet short-lived power. Direct it at the manifestation of much of his anguish.Then he gets his ticket cashed in. er, Durst told me later.
But suddenly he noticed the Sgt. who was white.Williams smiled again, then suddenly attempted to bring the 44 magnum to bare at the Sgt. Both officers unleashed a barrage of bullets at and into William's body, knocking him back up against the Federal Court house building. He died instantly.
I believe at that point it was the killers way of having some kind of win. I will take what is most valuable to you, your life. Take you away from your young beautiful wife and your family. Lastly will leave you and the world with the lasting reminder of the fact I was here and I can and did, take your life.
At Chase's funeral, I ran into a old friend from school. It was very nice to see her and her newlywed husband. She seem to tap into the sorrow I was feeling at the time. I decided to break ranks and sit with them rather my comrades. Walking into the church, she asked me if I wanted a tissue. Of course not, I responded. But later during the procession, I had to take her up with her offer. More than once.
For Detective Durst and the Sergeant, it was what police depts call a ' Good shoot' Both received rewards and their pictures in the papers. Both would be forever referred to as a decorated officer. Even when Detective Durst began to act out and act up, tarnishing his immaculate police career, kicked out then later arrested for domestic violence, he would be referred to as a decorated officer. No one ever knew exactly why he turned bad. Could it be, despite his insistence otherwise that he was just fine? Did he have times in which he awoke at night, like other officers, to see the man he shot to death sitting on the corner of the bed, asking why he had to be killed? I'll or probably nobody else will ever know. Me? If I had just had the tools to handle Williams differently. If I just had not of traded with Durst..If I had just...
Officer John Glenn Chase
Dallas Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Saturday, January 23, 1988

David Butler
Dallas County Police

March 20, 2018

I miss you my friend. Rest in Peace. You will never be forgotten.

Officer Dan Hebert
Dallas Police Department/ATF Friend and sometime partner.

January 23, 2018

Always remembered.
Never forgotten.

Anonymous

January 23, 2018

This was a day of deep sorrow that lives in infamy in my mind. My sister, brother in law, and husband were all Dallas Police officers at the time. Since I was with my husband, I saw how this officer's tragic death affected him. He was working at the north precinct that day. After he heard about this incident, it was understandably hard to go about his work as usual. That evening he told me that a thug he was arresting was giving him a hard time about getting in the police car, so he slammed the thug against the car and said, "We've already lost one officer today and we're not losing another one!" That evening we were eating dinner and my husband said, "look, we're here at home eating our dinner and Officer Chase is laying on a slab in a morgue," The forks went down. Neither one of us had an appetite anyway. That was the night he decided to move from Dallas. I agreed and moved with him but the memory has never left. I still remember seeing Officer Chase's wife on the news saying, "when I think about what happened, it tears me up. I had my life all planned out. Now I just don't know." I pray and wonder how she and the rest of the family have gone on with life. I pray they have found peace and strength through this nightmare. God bless!
RAB

RAB, police wife and sister.

August 21, 2017

When I heard of the horror and insanity of the events of July 7 I was reminded of John Chase, The location and the climate in Dallas were very similar The loss of these five Dallas officers and the officers wounded created pain very similar to those dark days in 1988. I will never forget John Chase and what a fine man and police officer he was.

Retired Sgt Carroll O Prewitt 2272
Dallas P D Retired

July 9, 2016

After yesterdays slaughter of five Dallas Police Officers, it brings me back to John. Such a senseless loss. My heart aches.

Jack Harris, Sr. Cpl.
Retired DPD

July 9, 2016

I grew up with John. We attended were grade school classmates and attended the same church. Ours was a small class and we were together all the way to our confirmation. It is not a surprise that he chose to serve others. It is with a sad heart that I think back today on how he left us.

Kristy Kirchhoff Unruh
childhood friend

July 8, 2016

Rest in Peace John. you will always be remembered.

Sergeant patrick oelke
Dallas Police Department

July 8, 2016

I am just an ordinary citizen with no other affiliation to the Dallas Police Dept. I will never forget the death of this fine young man. It broke my heart to hear the circumstances of his death at the time and still pops in my memory from time to time (like now). Say thank you to a policeman the next time you get a chance.

Cary Bell

April 7, 2016

John was my Cousin, I will NEVER forget him. The day we traveled to Dallas for the funeral I was stunned at all the cars with their lights on and the signs showing their support. All the many Officers paying their respects at the funeral, from Texas and from Oklahoma also. After the funeral, an escort was provided the family, his parents were going to the airport with his body to fly back home for burial. We advised some of the escorts we would be heading North on I35. The entire way was blocked off to regular traffic which was very eery. When we were within a quarter mile of the turn off. The escorts pulled ahead of us as we headed North. I have never in my life experienced the caring and outflow of love we all felt that day. Thank you Dallas for making a very sad day bearable.

Mary Zachary Sayre
cousin

February 4, 2016