Officer Robert Layden Hornsby, 32, of the Killeen Police Department, was shot and killed on July 14, 2013, during a SWAT deployment at an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Grandon Drive in Killeen, Texas. The deployment followed a report that a resident had displayed a weapon and confronted people at the complex pool. Initial units found the man barricaded in his apartment after he brandished an AK-47 rifle.

About an hour after the first call, the Tactical Response Unit arrived. As they attempted to make contact the subject fired one shot, opened the door with his hands up, then refused to exit. When the tactical team moved in the man retreated, grabbed the rifle and opened fire. Officer Hornsby and another officer were wounded; the subject was killed by return fire. Hornsby was taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and died shortly before 2:00 am.

Hornsby had served four years with the department and is survived by his wife, daughter, son, mother and three brothers. The incident was classified as a weapons violation and no further arrests were made because the subject was killed on scene. Does anyone have memories of Hornsby’s service or information about the response that night?