Police Officer William DeWayne Jones, Sr., Austin Park Police Department, Texas

Police Officer William DeWayne Jones, Sr.

Austin Park Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Sunday, May 28, 2000

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William DeWayne Jones, Sr.

Police Officer William Jones was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop at Zilker Park.

Officer Jones was speaking with the driver of the vehicle when the man opened fire, striking him in the chest twice and the neck once. Officer Jones, who was not wearing a vest, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

More than 200 youth soccer teams were attending an international soccer tournament at the park at the time of the shooting.

The suspect fled the scene but was spotted several hours later near Houston, Texas, approximately 150 miles away. After a short chase, the suspect committed suicide. He had already served time in prison and was currently wanted by another jurisdiction for sexual assault.

Officer Jones was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Austin Park Police Department for three years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

A memorial to Officer Jones was erected by public contributions and city of Austin funds in Zilker Park at the intersection of Robert E. Lee Road and Barton Springs Road, near the location of his fatal shooting.

Bio

Age 49
Tour 3 years
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber
Offender Committed suicide

convicted felon, no vest, traffic stop

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Most Recent Reflection

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Officer Jones,
I find myself at a loss for words here. I'm not even sure how I stumbled upon this for page for you today, much less after all this time. We never met, but brother, are we forever eternally bonded. As a father of two daughters that I could not live without..The messages here to you from your little girl as she has grown up into a woman, your son's and now a grandson that you were so senselessly taken away from are just crushing me to my core.
It was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 28th, 2000. My daughter was only about a year and a half old and she and my wife were away for the long weekend. I was working evening shift patrol at the time.
I am one of the Officers that helped bring an end to that awful day that your life was taken from your family.
At shift briefing, we had read the BOLO about the incident in Austin and the description of the suspect and his vehicle and that he was probably heading South to Victoria. One of the two most direct routes from Austin comes through our city.
At approximately 1734 hours, we jumped the suspects car heading East on I-10. We pursued the suspect for about 20 miles into Houston where he ultimately wrecked out. After a brief foot pursuit, the coward took his own life as he saw we were closing in to conduct business with him. It haunts me thinking that if only we could have encountered and stopped him before he made it to Austin.
Those of us involved that day attended your service. I did not meet them, but I saw your young family there. Brother, I am just so very, very sorry.
Mrs. Jones, Adrianna, Jushua, Adrian, WDJ II, WDJ III and Jaevion, your Daddy and Granddaddy would have given anything to be with you now.
Adrianna, I don't have the words to explain the pride that I have for you, the emotions that has been brought out of me, just from reading your letters to heaven to your Daddy. I've never met you, talked with you, or knew anything about you until reading this today. But I do know that all Little girls (and ya'll always will be to us Daddy's) need their Daddy's. As a Daddy, as a Husband, as a PawPaw and as a fellow Officer...I'm just so so sorry this has happened to all of you. May God Bless William, and may God Bless all of you, your families, for the sacrifices all of you have given.

Lieutenant B. Olds
City of Katy Police Department

November 4, 2025