The brutal killing of Officer Aubrey Wright Hawkins from the Irving Police Force remains etched in the memory of law enforcement officers, marking a tragic chapter in their history. On Christmas Eve of 2000, Officer Hawkins, dining with his family, responded to an emergency at Oshman’s Sporting Goods, leaving his meal unfinished.
Across the highway from the restaurant, he encountered the Texas 7, a group of seven inmates who had recently escaped from the John B. Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas. In the line of duty, Officer Hawkins was shot eleven times and tragically lost his life on the spot.
The Homicide for the Holidays episode titled “Christmas Eve Killing” delves into this capital murder, triggering a nationwide manhunt for the Texas 7. The synopsis reads, “After responding to a robbery at a sporting goods store on Christmas Eve, an Irving, Texas police officer is gunned down in cold blood. When the identity of the killers is discovered, the case explodes into a nationwide manhunt.”
Officer Aubrey Wright Hawkins, born on February 23, 1971, had served in law enforcement for a total of 5 years, with previous experience at the Kaufman Police Department and Tarrant County Hospital District Police Department. He had been with the Irving Police Force for 14 months when he met his untimely death.
Dining with his wife Lori Acosta and son Andrew at Olive Garden on December 24, 2013, Officer Hawkins received a call about suspicious activity at a sporting goods store across the highway. He responded promptly, driving to Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Irving, Texas.
The Texas 7, armed and storming the store during a last-minute shopping spree, held customers and employees hostage, robbing the store of firearms and ammunition. The 911 call had initially reported suspicious activity, not an armed robbery, leaving Officer Hawkins unaware of the armed threat.
Arriving at the scene coincided with the gang’s escape through the rear side of the store. Tragically, Officer Aubrey Wright Hawkins was fatally shot 11 times, including in the face and back, and was run over by the escaping inmates. The Texas 7 managed to escape with $70,000, 42 firearms, and ammunition, leading to their eventual capture between January 22 and 24, 2001.
