Amid ‘fear’ and ‘lawlessness,’ police chief asks for community’s help at officer’s vigil

Hundreds of candles were lit by a crowd of people gathered Wednesday night in honor of Garrett Hull, a Fort Worth police officer killed on Friday while on duty.

Hull, who has been called a hero and the cement of his unit by police, was apprehending robbery suspects early Friday morning at a bar in south Fort Worth when he was shot in the forehead.

Hull died at 9:40 p.m. Friday, according to the police department. He was a husband and father of two.

Hundreds of people joined the candlelight vigil in his honor at 7:35 p.m. at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Center. Hull’s wife, Sabrina, and their two children sat in the front row as officials addressed the crowd.

Police officers, firefighters and safety officials from dozens of departments joined the crowd and Hull’s name was projected in lights on the side of the building.

Joel Fitzgerald, Fort Worth Chief of Police, spoke at the vigil.

“Do the persons that ended Garrett’s life, the scumbags who go out and shoot people and rob, who shouldn’t be out on the street, deserve the same as the police officers, the firefighters, the people who serve the public daily?” Fitzgerald said. “Did these guys even care? I doubt it.”

Fort Worth police were pursuing three robbery suspects when Hull was shot. Two of them, Samuel Mayfield, 23, and Timothy Huff, 33, were charged Saturday with capital murder.

The third suspect, Dacion Steptoe, who is suspected of shooting Hull, was killed by Hull’s fellow officers on scene.

Speaking directly to the crowd, Fitzgerald said Hull’s death shows that the police department needs the community’s help.

“At this time more than ever, we see what happens in a community where there is lawlessness, where there is fear. Where people prey on community members and people trying to bring folks to justice,” Fitzgerald said. “Don’t make Garrett’s sacrifice anything less than a commitment to this department and, moreover, this family, to be better.”

“It’s getting dark and I’m not saying the speech I had prepared too well right now,” Fitzgerald said. “But I will say this. Garrett gave his life ... to maintain peace, and it’s that same peace that we gather in this evening.”

Manuel Ramirez, President of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association, also spoke at the vigil. Ramirez said Hull was what the department called “natural police.”

“That’s a distinction among us that is reserved for the very best,” Ramirez said. “The distinction means that without effort, without much reason, he’s just naturally well equipped to be the hero we all want wearing this badge. He was the man everybody wanted as backup, that every citizen was lucky if he showed up on their call.”

Ramirez also addressed Hull’s dedication to his family.

“Garrett Hull is a hero, not just because he was a tremendous guy. Garrett was a hero every day to his friends, to his teammates, most importantly to his family,” he said. “Garrett gave his life to this city, but he lived his life for his family.”

As Fort Worth Police Chaplain Dean Nichols said a prayer, the crowd lit their candles, starting with Hull’s family. When all the candles were lit, the hundreds of candles were raised to the sky as a moment of silence was observed for Hull.

“At this moment of trial and this moment of heaviness, we thank you that Officer Hull is in your kingdom and in your presence,” Nichols said. “Because he was one of your saints.”

On Monday, Hull’s body was driven from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office to the Greenwood Funeral Home during a funeral procession of police vehicles.

Hull’s funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Christ Chapel Bible Church. The funeral will be closed to the public but will be streamed online by Fort Worth police.

This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Amid ‘fear’ and ‘lawlessness,’ police chief asks for community’s help at officer’s vigil."