Who was Jorge Pastore? Texas SWAT officer shot dead with 3 others in firefight to save hostages
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Jorge Pastore, an Austin SWAT police officer was killed in an early morning shootout on November 11 that left three more dead and another officer wounded. The gunman is reportedly among the dead, according to the Daily Mail.
In a post remembering Pastore, Austin Police Department interim Chief Robin Henderson stated that Pastore joined the department in 2019 as a cadet and graduated in January 2020. He also served on the honor guard and the SWAT Gold Team.
"My heart is heavy today. Please help me and our APD family pay tribute to SPO Jorge Pastore for his brave & heroic actions. Sir, we’ll take it from here. Thanks for all the prayers & thoughts. Continue to keep the Pastore family and our second Officer injured in your prayers," read the caption.
My heart is heavy today. Please help me and our APD family pay tribute to SPO Jorge Pastore for his brave & heroic actions. Sir, we’ll take it from here.
— Interim Chief of Police Robin Henderson (@Chief_Henderson) November 11, 2023
Thanks for all the prayers & thoughts. Continue to keep the Pastore family and our second Officer injured in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/237uLZixS4
Pastore is survived by his wife, two stepsons, parents, and two sisters.
The standoff on November 11
Henderson told reporters at a press conference that officials were called to a home in Austin before 3 am on the day of the incident by a woman screaming that she was being stabbed. When responding officers tried to make their way in, they were met with gunfire.
"At 3.06 am, because the suspect was armed and barricaded inside a residence and had two hostages, SWAT was called out. At approximately 4.11 am, SWAT officers arrived on scene and forced entry into the residence a second time to rescue the victims."
"SWAT officers arrived on scene and forced entry into the residence ... to rescue the victims," Henderson continued.
"As SWAT officers entered the suspect immediately fired his gun at the officers and the SWAT officers returned fire."
The gunfire struck two officers and the suspect, with the latter dying at the scene. The officers were hospitalized, where Pastore passed away while the other stayed stable.
"Two apparent victims of the suspect were located inside of the residence with fatal injuries," Henderson added.
Officers remember Jorge Pastore as a 'true hero'
Dennis Farris, former Austin police officer and president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, reportedly stated, "His whole career, his whole life was ahead of him. We truly are worse off today because he's not with us anymore. Austin has lost a true hero.
Former Austin police officer and union president Ken Casaday remarked, "He was just a great person who loved being a cop. Everything about him was being a police officer, and he could always be counted on. He was always smiling, always happy and always proud to be in uniform."
