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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, In an extraordinary act of heroism, Sergeant Robert |
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| 6 | 7 | | Wayne Watson Jr. of the Dallas Police Department placed himself in |
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| 7 | 8 | | harm's way to save the life of a fellow first responder during a |
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| 8 | 9 | | deadly standoff on May 1, 2017; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, On that day, Sergeant Watson and other Dallas police |
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| 10 | 11 | | officers were called to a chaotic scene in East Dallas where a man, |
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| 11 | 12 | | armed with a semiautomatic rifle, had shot and killed his roommate |
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| 12 | 13 | | before wounding a neighbor; the gunman proceeded to open fire on |
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| 13 | 14 | | arriving paramedics, one of whom was struck and critically injured; |
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| 14 | 15 | | and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Before he and other officers were forced to take |
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| 16 | 17 | | cover, Sergeant Watson was able to wound the gunman with a shotgun |
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| 17 | 18 | | blast, causing the individual to retreat into his home; this |
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| 18 | 19 | | allowed Sergeant Watson and two other officers enough time to pull |
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| 19 | 20 | | the paramedic, who had suffered severe blood loss, into the |
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| 20 | 21 | | sergeant's squad car so that he could be rushed to the hospital; |
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| 21 | 22 | | other officers rescued the neighbor, and both of the victims |
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| 22 | 23 | | wounded in the shooting are alive today thanks in part to the |
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| 23 | 24 | | courageous efforts of Sergeant Watson; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Robert Watson |
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| 25 | 26 | | initially moved to Dallas in 2003 to pursue an education in the |
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| 26 | 27 | | ministry; after serving as the youth pastor at Urban Park Assembly |
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| 27 | 28 | | of God in Dallas, he began his career with the Dallas Police |
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| 28 | 29 | | Department in May 2005; in all his endeavors, he is supported by the |
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| 29 | 30 | | love and affection of a fine family that includes his wife of 15 |
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| 30 | 31 | | years, Amy, and their children, Langston, Naysa, and Gideon; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Sergeant Robert Watson's valiant response to a |
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| 32 | 33 | | deadly crisis went above and beyond the call of duty, helping to |
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| 33 | 34 | | avert what could have been an even greater tragedy, and he is indeed |
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| 34 | 35 | | deserving of our profound respect and gratitude; now, therefore, be |
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| 35 | 36 | | it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby honor Sergeant Robert Wayne Watson Jr. for his |
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| 38 | 39 | | exceptional bravery in rescuing a fellow first responder during an |
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| 39 | 40 | | active-shooter incident and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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| 40 | 41 | | the future; and, be it further |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 42 | 43 | | prepared for Sergeant Watson as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 43 | 44 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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