WALKER

Officer's Death Hits Home for Small Town of Little Elm

What was just a few bouquets of flowers laying outside the Little Elm Police Department Tuesday night quickly grew to dozens by Wednesday morning, and then easily hundreds by nightfall as the showings of respect poured in for their fallen officer.

The shooting death of Detective Jerry Walker was the first since Little Elm officially became a town in 1966. Many residents said it’s something they could never be prepared for.

"It just breaks my heart,” said Amber Wells who gathered thousands of candles Wednesday to hold a vigil for Walker Wednesday night.

She, like many who stopped by the department, never knew the officer, but felt she had to do something to help out his family and friends.

Many stopping by the makeshift memorial seemed to have some connection to Walker, understandable in a town of only about 35,000.

Walker had been an officer in the city for 18 years and spent part of his career as a school resource officer at the high school where former co-workers said he was dedicated to helping the kids find the best in themselves.

"He cared about kids and he cared about his community,” said school secretary Kathy Thompson who just talked to Walker over the holidays. "I can't even describe it. Unreal. Unreal."

To honor the long-time public servant and friend to many, residents and police are contributing to a memorial fund for Walker’s wife and four kids set up by at Capital One Bank - Little Elm branch. You can mail donations to the bank, in the name of the "Jerry Walker Fund" to 2821 East Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm.

Several local businesses are also donating supplies and planning for events in Walker’s honor, including Little Elm’s Wal-Mart. Employees from the store brought boxes of blue light bulbs to the police station for residents to install on their front porches in Walker’s honor.

By Wednesday afternoon, people who live near the home where Walker was killed were allowed back into the neighborhood.

Most of them had to be evacuated while police were in a standoff with the suspect, now identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office as 46-year-old Rudy Garcia.

Neighbors said Garcia developed a reputation as a trouble-maker.

Antonio Sutton said Garcia started screaming at him one day while he was walking his dog past Garcia's house.

"Knowing [the] situation now I'm glad that I did walk away, otherwise I could've instigated him into using that rifle towards this house or something," said Sutton.

While neighbors are relieved to be back home, after something this tragic, they question whether things can ever truly return to normal.

As of Wednesday evening, only Garcia's home remained blocked off by investigators in the neighborhood.

Police said they will return to the scene on Thursday.

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