Copperas Cove Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Police Officer Elijah Garretson was ambushed and killed near the intersection of Lost Trail and Great Hills Drive in Copperas Cove while responding to reports of a suspicious person.
After lengthy negotiations with officers, the suspect was discovered dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect was on probation and wanted on a DWI warrant.
Officer Garretson was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Copperas Cove Police Department for seven months. A recent graduate of the Central Texas College Police Academy, he received the Academic Award for the highest grade point average in the class. He is survived by his wife and daughter.