A statement - from our Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
https://www.facebook.com/dan.patrick.texas/posts/10152966071396836:0
OFFICER ASSASSINATED LAST NIGHT IN HARRIS CO.
This violence against law enforcement in America must end.
Last night another member of the brave men and women of law enforcement who serve us all over the nation was killed - this time in Texas. A Harris County Sheriff's Deputy, Darren Goforth, 47, a 10 year veteran of the force, was gunned down in an ambush assassination while he was pumping gas at a station on West Rd and Telge. He was attacked from behind and shot multiple times according to eye witness reports even as he lay helpless on the ground.
Since I first got the word of this heinous crime shortly after it happened I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It made me physically ill. I cannot help but think how hard this is right now on his family and friends and how they cannot sleep tonight, and the tears they will cry for weeks, months and years ahead and how they will miss him. All of this pain and loss because of a senseless evil act by some low life scum driven to this act through pure hatred of a person they didn't even know.
I am sick and tired and downright angry at those who demean our law enforcement officers with their verbal attacks. They stir up those who follow up the verbal assault in the streets and on TV with deadly attacks on our officers. The national disrespect for law enforcement must end and end now. The talking heads and loud mouths who constantly attack our law enforcement with their words are putting these men and women in harm's way at a level I have not seen in my lifetime.
In an era of social media, where people can be hateful and nasty as hide in the shadow of the internet, and on our 24 hour news cycle that often looks for the most outspoken and inflammatory guests to draw an audience, we have created an environment that is coarse, rude, and one that often leads to violence.
Just last week a Louisiana officer was assassinated on the side of the road while trying to help out a drunken motorist. How long are men and women going to continue to put their life on the line for us if this open season on them continues? Can you imagine how their families feel every day when they leave for work in this anti police environment ? Who can blame them if they choose other careers. After all we all want to come home at night to our family including our officers at the end of a days work. With all this pressure on them and their families, and the increasing risks they face, they stand strong and continue to put the badge on every day because of their dedication to making our communities safe.
The men and women behind the badge are people just like us. They have wives and husbands, children, grandchildren, parents, and like everyone else - dreams of a long life. But they are special people indeed. Thank God we have this thimble of men and women dedicated to our safety and law and order.
As I've said many times they are the only ones whose job description calls for them to risk their lives for others every day if needed when they go to work. Along with our firemen and military they make a commitment to all of us to protect us with their lives if called upon.
They are the thin line between a country of law and order, safe for our citizens and a society of total lawlessness where no one is safe. Think for a moment what would happen if no one was willing to do this job - what would our country become. A literal handful of our citizens go into law enforcement. They work long hours, second jobs to make ends meet, are usually on duty alone, often at night with their closest back up too far away to save their life if a violent situation arises. You've seen the dash cam videos of officers at night walking up to a vehicle alone and suddenly coming under attack by the driver or those in the car. Could you do that ?
When an officer walks up to a car after a traffic stop, or stop for some other reason they are often criticized at every turn if they make a mistake. By trying to be cautious and courteous, and in fear of being sued or fired if they make a mistake, they make themselves more vulnerable to a sudden attack. They are expected to be perfect with every action and every word for their entire shift and their entire error.
No matter the situation we expect them to always make the perfect decision every time. They are and should be expected to perform at a very high and often very stressful level. But like all of us they are human. They have to make critical decisions in a split second. In some cases these decisions involve saving their own life and the lives of others without the benefit of knowing the entire situation as it is quickly unfolding. They don't have a chance to study the situation or get advice from others. They must act quickly or lives can be lost including their own.
Who are these people who are so brave, so committed to our us, to take on this job? They are special people indeed. I work with them every day at the Capitol and across the state as I travel. They are dedicated to doing their job to protect all of us. They are people who all of us owe a great debt
What troubles me the most is there is no leadership or seemingly willingness by our President to speak out on this wave of violence against law enforcement. I don't say this in a partisan attack on the President. The issue is too important for politics. I'm simply stating the truth. Whether it's the Mayor of New York, other cities, or the President of the United States, there doesn't seen to be the unqualified and universal support we should expect for our officers and against the anarchy we see play out almost every night on the news.
In Texas we have the backs of our officers because they have ours and in Texas we appreciate them for all they are and all they do.
But we must do more. We must let them know we care- really care about them and appreciate them at every opportunity.
Here are some things you can do and that I try to do every day.
1. Start calling our officers sir and ma'am all of the time. It's a show of respect they deserve and will help ease potential problems and small issues becoming major ones.
2. Every time you see an officer anywhere, at lunch, on the street, standing guard at a workplace, and including being stopped for a possible ticket, let them know you appreciate their service to our community and you stand with them.
3. If you are financially able when you see them in a restaurant on duty pick up their lunch check, send over a dessert, or simply stop by their table briefly and say thank you for your service.
4. Support their charities, like the 100 Club, support the good causes they are involved that help others. They raise a lot of money to help others. Put their charities on your giving list.
5. If your local law enforcement has volunteer citizen job opportunities to assist them go ahead and sign up
Our goal is to make them know we support them whenever possible. We need to change the dialogue in this country and the attitude toward law enforcement. We each can do that every day.
Most importantly include them in your prayers each day as you pray for protection over your loved ones. I believe in the power of prayer and lifting us those who are in potential danger to God each day.
CORRECTED Mugshot of Defendant Shannon J. Miles