Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office issued the following announcement on April 3.
This is Deputy Darren Almendarez, 51, with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. He was shot to death last night.
Around 8:40 p.m., Deputy Almendarez walked out of the Joe V's on FM-1960. He and his wife had been grocery shopping for his sister's birthday. There was supposed to be a big party tonight. How life can change in the blink of an eye.
As the couple walked to the lot, she noticed someone by their truck -- three guys were trying to steal their catalytic converter. That's what the sheriff would later tell us. Almendarez approached. One of the guys fired. Almendarez shot back. He was hit. Two of the three suspects were also shot. Almendarez died at the hospital.
This was a shootout at a grocery store when plenty of people are out shopping -- terrifying.
This was a wife who was lauging with her husband one minute and watching him take his last breaths the next -- horrific.
Almendarez worked for the sheriff's office for 23 years.
Ironically, he investigated auto thefts. Here's a photo of him at work. Almendarez tracked down stolen cars, raided body shops where illegal stuff was happening, ran background checks--and he loved his job. He was proud to be a deputy.
Thank you for serving us, Almendarez.
Original source can be found here.
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