Senior Police Officer Jaime De Luna Padron, a 40-year-old Black man, was a devoted father, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and a respected law enforcement officer with nearly two decades of experience. Known for his contagious smile and genuine laughter, he was a compassionate and caring man whose life revolved around his two young daughters, then ages 10 and 6. Born in San Angelo, Texas, Jaime graduated from Christoval High School in 1989 and joined the Marines that summer, serving honorably in Desert Storm. After his military service, he began a career in law enforcement, serving with the San Angelo Police Department and the Austin Airport Police before joining the Austin Police Department, where he had been for over three years. His colleagues and family remember him as a proud Marine who passionately loved his job and his family.
The night he was killed began as a routine call. In the early morning hours of April 6, 2012, Officer Padron responded to a call around 2:30 a.m. about a disruptive and intoxicated man at a Walmart on the I-35 Frontage Road in North Austin. The man, later identified as Brandon Daniel, was seen on security footage swaying through the aisles and dropping items. After speaking with two store employees, Officer Padron located Daniel and attempted to stop him as he tried to leave the store. The suspect immediately tried to flee, and Officer Padron tackled him, both men falling to the floor.
During the struggle, Daniel, 24, pulled out a small semi-automatic handgun and shot Officer Padron at point-blank range in the neck and vest. Despite being mortally wounded, Officer Padron was able to call for help on his radio. As the officer lay on the ground, two Walmart employees, Lincoln LeMere and Archie Jordy, heroically intervened. They tackled Daniel, who had also fired at them, and held him down until other officers arrived. One of the employees used Officer Padron's radio to notify dispatchers about the shooting. Responding officers and medics attempted CPR, but Officer Padron was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:44 a.m.
The investigation was handled by the Austin Police Department. The entire incident was captured on the store's surveillance video. Brandon Daniel, a software engineer with a recent DUI arrest and a prior misdemeanor record in Colorado, was taken into custody. Witnesses described him as having a blank stare after the shooting, yet he reportedly smiled, winked, and asked a responding officer about the potential sentence he faced, "life or death." One of the Walmart employees who subdued him testified that Daniel chuckled and said, "I killed a cop."
Brandon Daniel was charged with capital murder. In February 2014, a jury found him guilty, and he was subsequently sentenced to death. Daniel's appeals were later rejected by the state's highest criminal court, which upheld his conviction and sentence in 2016 and again in 2017. At one point, Daniel sought to dismiss his lawyers to expedite his execution but later reversed that decision. On October 30, 2021, Brandon Daniel, then 33, was found unresponsive in his bunk on death row at the Polunsky Unit in Livingston. He was pronounced dead shortly after, and while an investigation was initiated, officials stated that foul play was not suspected.
The community deeply mourned the loss of Officer Padron. His funeral drew a large attendance of law enforcement, family, and community members who remembered his valor and sacrifice. In the years following his death, his legacy has been honored in numerous ways. In his hometown of San Angelo, Rio Vista Park was renovated and renamed Jaime Padron Memorial Park in October 2013. In Austin, the Austin Independent School District dedicated Padron Elementary School in his name, which opened in August 2014 on West Rundberg Lane. The Austin Police Department also honored him with a handmade wooden "Honor chair" to "save their place" at roll call.
Officer Jaime Padron was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart with Valor by the Austin Police Department. His end of watch was April 6, 2012, but his memory continues to be honored by his family, his department, and the communities he served. The case is considered closed following the conviction and subsequent death of the sole perpetrator.
