MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - Law enforcement agencies across the Permian Basin stepped up to help the Ector County Sheriff’s Office Monday night but the situation hit a little closer to home for Midland County.
Nearly five years ago Sergeant Mike Naylor of the Midland County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed.
“October the 9th 2014. That was executing a warrant on a sexual predator, for sexual abuse on a child,” Sheriff Gary Painter, Midland County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Painter continues to say that while Sgt. Naylor was getting closer to the suspect inside to talk him out of what he was doing, his life was taken from him.
“Mike had gotten close enough to where he had gotten enough to where he could hear what was going on and the guy could hear him and the guy shot him in the head, murdered him,” Painter said.
A daily routine, such as traffic stop, can turn deadly at any moment.
Painter also says the danger can amplify in negation situation or if the suspects are barricading themselves in their home.
“They come through a door, the person who is inside know the layout of the house, they have got the upper hand. Whenever we come in and that’s why we come in hard and we will come in full and what I mean by that is we are going to have armor on, we are going to have weapons blazing. We see a weapon in someone's hand we are shooting first and asking questions later,” Painter, said.
The community still honors Sergeant Mike Naylor, highway 191 was named in honor of his service and sacrifice to Midland County.
