In the line of duty

In one cruel evening, the number of Odessa police officers who have died in the line of duty doubled.

Arlie Jones and John Scott Gardner both died in a virtual ambush Saturday afternoon as they approached a west Odessa house to investigate a report of shots being fired.

That’s when a gunman who has yet to be officially identified opened fire, killing both officers. A third officer, Abel Marquez, was being transported to University Medical Center in Lubbock at 9:30.

According to sources close to the police department, Marquez had been shot in the face.

Jones and Gardner join Cpl. Gordon “G.T.” Toal and Scott Stanton Smith as the only four Odessa police officers who have died in the line of duty.

Toal, a motorcycle officer, was killed Aug. 19, 1982, in a traffic accident. He was escorting a funeral when the accident happened. He was a two-year veteran of the OPD.

Smith, also a motorcycle officer, died Feb. 6, 1988, of injuries from a traffic accident on Aug. 3, 1987. He was a four-year veteran of the OPD.

According to Odessa American archives, one Ector County Sheriff’s Deputy has died in the line of duty. Thad West was shot and killed Feb. 27, 1958.