Patrolman Gary Joe Bryant

Gary Joe Bryant

Patrolman Gary Bryant was shot and killed while investigating a hit-and-run crash around 2:00 p.m.

Patrolman Bryant had located the suspect and was shot when he was attempting to arrest him. His body was found under a pile of leaves in the front yard of a house with six gunshot wounds. He had been shot once in the head with his own .45 caliber handgun, which the suspect stole. The other five shots were from the suspect's .22 caliber weapon. His patrol car was located on FM 2440 (present-day Manheim Road) near Giddings, approximately a mile away.

The suspect was found to be in the United States illegally from Mexico and was later found incompetent to stand trial. He was deported to an institution in Mexico.

Patrolman Bryant was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Giddings Police Department for five years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, granddaughter, mother, and two brothers.