SEE AMAZON.COM DEALS FOR TODAY
Accident – death – Obituary News : Last-Minute Christmas Shopping Turns into a Terrifying Robbery at Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Dallas-Area Suburb
The holiday spirit was shattered on December 24, 2013, as frantic last-minute Christmas shoppers filled Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Irving, Texas. The bustling store was the scene of a shocking robbery that left employees and customers terrified.
You may also like to watch : Who Is Kamala Harris? Biography - Parents - Husband - Sister - Career - Indian - Jamaican Heritage
As closing time approached at 5:45 p.m., two ADT security guards arrived at the store. They had been informed of a series of robberies targeting Oshman’s locations. Little did they know that they were about to become unwitting participants in the next crime.
Former store manager Wes Ferris recounted the harrowing events to Homicide for the Holidays, a true crime series airing on Oxygen. According to Ferris, one of the ADT guards declared, “This is a robbery,” brandishing a 357 Smith and Wesson revolver and pointing it directly at Ferris’ chest. To Ferris’ horror, he also noticed four other armed individuals in the store.
The employees were herded into a break room at the back of the store, while Misty Simpson, who had just arrived to pick up her fiancé, witnessed the unfolding chaos from the parking lot. She quickly realized that the store was being robbed and called her best friend for support.
Inside the store, the criminals looted cash registers, forced Ferris to open the safe, and made off with firearms, ammunition, and even the in-store security tape. They then demanded the keys to Ferris’ car. Simpson’s friend, who had arrived by then, called 911 to report the robbery.
You may also like to watch: Is US-NATO Prepared For A Potential Nuclear War With Russia - China And North Korea?
Meanwhile, Officer Aubrey Hawkins, 29, was on duty that night. While having dinner with his wife and son at a nearby restaurant, he overheard reports of suspicious activity at Oshman’s. Hawkins immediately left his family and rushed to the scene.
Sgt. Karl Bailey described Hawkins as a dedicated officer who loved his job. Unfortunately, the 911 call had not been categorized as an armed robbery, leaving Hawkins unaware of the imminent danger he was facing.
As the robbers prepared to flee, they warned the employees not to move. Outside, Simpson saw a police car race into the parking lot and drive towards the back of the store. Gunshots soon filled the air, leaving Ferris and Simpson in a state of shock.
After a period of silence, with no sign of the assailants, Ferris called 911 to provide a detailed account of the events. Another officer arrived and discovered Hawkins unconscious on the ground, having been shot 11 times. He immediately called for backup, and a SWAT team was dispatched to the scene.
Hawkins was rushed to Parkland Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The investigators began the arduous task of piecing together the robbery and the murder of Officer Hawkins. Strangely, Hawkins’ gun was nowhere to be found at the crime scene.
The search for answers led the police to a breakthrough when they learned that a group of convicts had escaped from the John B. Connally Unit, a maximum-security prison in South Texas, just 11 days before the Oshman’s robbery. The media dubbed them the “Texas 7.”
George Rivas, serving 18 life sentences, was identified as the leader of the breakout. The fugitives were desperate to avoid capture and had no intention of returning to prison. Oshman’s employees later confirmed that the robbers were indeed the escaped prisoners.
Fear gripped the community as the manhunt intensified. These dangerous criminals had shown they were willing to shoot a police officer to remain on the run. However, after the initial robbery, the Texas 7 seemed to vanish into thin air.
Weeks passed without further robberies, leaving investigators puzzled. It was as if the criminals had vanished into thin air. Desperate for leads, the police enlisted the help of America’s Most Wanted, a true crime series that dedicated an episode to the Irving, Texas homicide investigation.
Their efforts paid off when the FBI received a call from the Teller County Sheriff’s Department in Colorado. A tip had led them to an RV park where the Texas 7 were believed to be hiding. SWAT teams were assembled, and three of the escapees were arrested at a nearby gas station.
Further investigation revealed that one of the arrested individuals had Officer Hawkins’ gun in his possession. At the RV park, the remaining escapees were surrounded and ordered to surrender. Randy Halprin complied, while Larry Harper tragically took his own life inside the camper.
The other two escapees, Patrick Murphy and Donald Newberry, had left the area in a van a day earlier. They were eventually tracked down and surrendered. All six escapees were extradited back to Texas and charged with murder.
Since their capture, four of the escapees have been executed, while Halprin and Murphy remain on death row. The shocking events of that Christmas Eve will forever be remembered as a tragic chapter in the history of Irving, Texas.
To learn more about this case and others, tune in to Homicide for the Holidays, airing on Oxygen on December 8 at 8/7c..
