The Odessa Police Department (OPD) expressed its condolences to the Austin Police Department (APD), which lost one of its officers, Jorge Pastore, in a shootout that also claimed the lives of two other individuals.
As mentioned in an online post, OPD officers will don mourning bands over their badges as a tribute to the late officer Pastore and flags at OPD headquarters will be flown at half-staff. According to data from the Officer Down Memorial Page, 38-year-old Pastore was fatally shot during a hostage situation on Bernoulli Drive at around 4:10 a.m. on Nov. 11. The website states that the alleged perpetrator was killed by Pastore’s colleagues.
Born and brought up in California and Florida respectively, Pastore harbored a passion for martial arts since his teenage years and eventually started his own school alongside his spouse, as per his obituary published by Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. Prior to joining law enforcement, he served as a veteran firefighter and first responder. His obituary further notes that being hired by APD fulfilled his lifelong ambition of securing a position on the SWAT team.
His obituary also highlights that among numerous accomplishments, serving in the Honor Guard for both the Seminole Tribe of Florida and APD was what made him proudest. It also mentions that Pastore leaves behind his wife, three stepchildren, and numerous cherished family members.