FORT WORTH, Texas — A Fort Worth police officer credits bullet-resistant glass with saving his life during a shootout , as the department continues expanding efforts to protect officers through upgraded patrol vehicle equipment, WFAA reported.
Officer Lorenzo Burrell was involved in a gunfire exchange on May 19, 2024, one day after a shooting suspect was recorded by surveillance cameras, according to the report. Police had been searching for a 33-year-old who was seen on video firing a gun before driving away.
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Burrell, part of the department’s HOPE Unit, spotted the suspect’s vehicle after a license plate reader alert and initiated a traffic stop. Dash camera footage shows the driver opening fire, prompting a shootout.
“I have scars on my arm… from when the glass and metal hit me,” Burrell said. “Thankful to have the bullet-resistant glass. That actually, I know for a fact, saved me from getting shot.”
Fort Worth police currently have 100 patrol vehicles and 17 SWAT units outfitted with bullet-resistant glass, according to the report. In 2025, the department upgraded 130 additional vehicles, with another 130 planned in 2026. The upgrades are funded in part by $1 million annually from the Crime Control and Prevention District, along with a newly secured $1.2 million state grant.
Chief Eddie Garcia said the grant from the Texas Governor’s Office will accelerate vehicle armor efforts.
The goal is to have bullet-resistant glass in every Fort Worth police vehicle, Garcia said.
The reinforced glass is designed to withstand repeated shots from high-caliber firearms and allows officers to return fire from inside the vehicle, according to the report. During a department demonstration, the glass was shown holding up under sustained fire.
“When you hear shots fired, and you know you’re there, officers are out there risking their lives for the community. Your heart drops. Every member of this department’s heart drops,” Garcia said.
The Fort Worth City Council ratified acceptance of the state grant during a Jan. 13 meeting. Department officials say Fort Worth is ahead of Dallas in expanding bullet-resistant protections, where only SWAT vehicles have similar features.
Burrell recently revisited the South Edgewood Terrace neighborhood where the shooting occurred.
“It’s really, really surreal,” he said. “I’m thankful.”
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