Duty Death: Nicholas Reyna - [Lubbock]
End of Service: 11/01/2020
UPDATE: (5:57 p.m. PST) — The Lubbock Police Department Facebook page has announced the name of the police officer who was killed: Officer Nicholas Reyna, 27, served with the Lubbock Police Department for one year. Following the academy, he served on patrol during the day shift.
By Adam Young
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Texas
LUBBOCK, Texas — Two first responders were killed and another was injured as they worked the scene of a crash in icy conditions Saturday morning in North Lubbock.
One Lubbock police officer and firefighter died and another firefighter was critically injured when another vehicle crossed a median and crashed into them as they worked a wreck about 8:30 a.m. on North Interstate 27 near FM 1294, said Lubbock police public information officer Allison Matherly.
Police Chief Floyd Mitchell and Lubbock Fire Rescue Chief Shaun Fogerson hosted a brief news conference later in the morning, going over the timeline of events and calling it a tragic day for Lubbock law enforcement. Officials had not released the names of the injured first responders pending notification of next of kin. The officer who died was identified as a 27-year-old man, while the firefighter who died was a 39-year-old man. The critically injured firefighter is a 30-year-old man.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a brief statement via Twitter in response to the loss of the first responders.
“Terrible news in Lubbock this morning. We have lost 2 brave first responders,” reads the statement. “As we await more news, please join Jan and I in praying for the Lubbock community and the families of these heroes.”