The Gun Counter

Editor's Notebook
by Rich Grassi

On Friday, August 21, 2009, Pasadena TX police officer Jesse Hamilton responded to a domestic. It was around 6:30 AM, early for a family fight. On his arrival, the male half's mother met the officer in front of the mobile home. She said her son had been threatening his common-law wife. As he received information, the wife was heard to call out, "He's got a gun!"

24 year old Sergio Robles, Jr. burst out of the home shooting as Officer Hamilton was on the radio. Robles allegedly shot Officer Hamilton in the head. Responding officers drove up and returned fire, striking the offender in the head.

Officer Hamilton was airlifted to a hospital where, at about 7 AM, he was pronounced dead. He was 29 years old and leaves a wife and two young children. He'd only been on the job for four years. Jesse had previous experience in dispatch.

Robles was last reported to be in serious condition from his gunshot injuries.

We read about officers killed and find ourselves thinking "if only." In the present case, we have Police Officer Jesse Hamilton, a young man who was "switched on." He was working out in preparation for SWAT tryouts and was a member of 10-8 Forums, an internet forum put together by active cop Hilton Yam - a high speed type who's worked felony fugitives, SWAT and Firearms Instruction - and who is also proprietor of 10-8 Performance, builder of service-ready 1911 pistols, parts and tools.

It can happen to any one of us as it happened to our brother and friend Jesse. Take this opportunity to remember Jesse's family and his colleagues at Pasadena TX PD. Take this opportunity to renew your mindset.

Be predictably unpredictable. Use invisible and silent deployment on the most routine of calls. Don't be tied to that radio or that patrol car. Let's keep that wall bare.