Gerald Wayne Powell Wills Point Texas man and former US military vet suffering from PTSD kills mom, dog, surrenders to SWAT team 7 hours later.
A Texas man who served numerous tours on behalf of the US military killed his mother and her dog, then held police at bay for seven hours before peacefully surrendering to a SWAT team over the weekend.
Gerald Wayne Powell, 45, reportedly told his sister he was going to kill their mother, Billie Powell and the dog, prompting Van Zandt County deputies to head to the scene just outside Wills Point east of Dallas, KLTV reported.
When deputies arrived at about 10 p.m. Sunday, they spoke with a family member who said that Powell was inside and had several firearms. Powell told the family member he had killed the dog and his mother was next.
‘He also stated he would shoot any law enforcement personnel who attempted to enter onto the property,’ the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office contacted Powell by telephone, and he again said he would kill officers who tried to arrest him.
Former army vet who suffered from PTSD
Early Monday morning, a SWAT team entered the property, and Powell surrendered. Deputies found his mother dead inside along with the dog. The sheriff’s office said an autopsy would determine cause of death.
Wrote a commentator on social media who claimed to know the suspect since school: ‘He has been a classmate of mine from K-12. He served 20 years in our US Military Forces with several deployments. He’s suffered from PTSD since 2013 and was honorably discharged in 2015.’
Reflected the former military man in a blog post: ‘We had to do a PT test immediately on returning. So, everyone from Task Force 94 was there at the finish line for the run. We hated our Commander with a passion. After I passed my PT test they handed me a cup of coffee and a cigarette and they said there you go, congratulations. It made the Commanders head spin. She had a lot of grads around that couldn’t finish, but here was this fat boy who had been gone for a year that could do it.’
‘This is a sad and senseless death,’ Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix said.
Powell is awaiting arraignment at the Van Zandt County jail.
No motive was immediately known.
