Senior Patrolman Sherman Otto Benys, Jr.
Officer: Kingsville Police Department, Senior Patrolman Sherman Otto Benys, Jr.
Date: 11/4/2021 Location: Kingsville, TX FACTORS (1,2,7,15,18,19)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Alfredo DeLeon
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Unknown./ Yes, DeLeon was involved in a domestic dispute during which he shot a relative along with Officer Benys.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./ None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: Latino/Male/40
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At approximately 5 p.m. on November 1, 2021, Kingsville police officers responded to a 911 call of a domestic disturbance.
Actions taken by subject toward police: As the officers arrived at the scene, Alfredo DeLeon shot at them and his relative, critically injuring Senior Patrolman Benys, Jr.
Reactions by the police: Patrolman Benys and his partner returned fire at DeLeon who then fled the scene. Officers rendered emergency medical care to Patrolman Benys, getting him to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries three days later. DeLeon was captured and arrested shortly after the shooting.
How murdered? Senior Patrolman Benys was ambushed and fatally shot by the suspect involved in a domestic dispute upon arriving at the scene.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? The officers responded as appropriate given the limited information dispatched about the 911 call. Officers cannot be expected to act as if they are about to be ambushed during every traffic stop or 911 call, such hypervigilance would burn them out and could result in an increased number of controversial shootings. There were no indications of a weapon nor threats about violence towards the officers to dictate they respond to this call with shields or requesting SWAT.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? N/A, but the officers both returned fire and used deadly force as soon as a deadly threat was presented to them. The lack of successful hits on DeLeon who then took off running indicates the officers were caught by surprise and DeLeon was at least partially hidden from them.
Outcome for the cop-killer: DeLeon was arrested and faces charges of “one count of capital murder of a peace officer, two counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer, and one count of attempted capital murder.”
Miscellaneous: There is remarkably little reported on about DeLeon’s history.
