Paul Rodriguez Obituary, Death; Police name suspect killed in shooting outside department HQ on Friday.

Paul Rodriguez Obituary, Death – Temple Police have identified the man killed in Friday’s deadly shooting outside the police department as 57-year-old Paul Rodriguez of Temple. According to the police, the gun Rodriguez brought to the scene — mentioned in his 911 call, held to his head, and then pointed at officers — was later found to be a black UMAREXXBG .177 BB gun air pistol. The police department shared a stock image of the BB gun Rodriguez carried.

Due to the fatal outcome, the Texas Rangers were called to investigate the incident. Temple Police also released a detailed timeline outlining the key events that took place during the confrontation:

At around 9:09 p.m., Rodriguez called Bell County Communications and told dispatchers he was outside the Temple Police Department and expressed that he was unafraid to shoot himself. Between 9:10 and 9:12 p.m., the first officers arrived at the scene. Rodriguez told them he was “just done,” that he wanted the police to shoot him, and that he was armed with a pistol. At 9:12 p.m., he repeated that he had a weapon and seemed resigned to what he planned to do. During this time, he mentioned he wanted to end his life, revealing he had lost his wife and his home. At 9:13 p.m., he stated that he believed God was telling him he was done.

Officers made contact with Rodriguez and attempted to calm and de-escalate the situation. For several minutes, Rodriguez kept the gun pointed at his own head while yelling at officers to shoot him. Officers repeatedly urged him to drop the weapon. He kept expressing his feelings of loss and despair.

A key development came when an officer familiar with Rodriguez from previous encounters took over the communication. The two interacted for several minutes, attempting to resolve the situation peacefully. However, at about 9:20 p.m., Rodriguez removed the gun from his head and extended his arm to point the weapon at several officers. In response, multiple officers fired their issued firearms — sidearms or rifles — at Rodriguez.

Emergency medical help was immediately provided by officers until Temple Fire and Rescue and EMS arrived. Sadly, Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Rosanne Fisher.

Following the shooting, the Texas Rangers were called in for an independent investigation, as is standard when a police-involved shooting results in a death.

Seven officers discharged their weapons during the incident. In line with protocol, all seven officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. Additionally, an internal affairs inquiry has been launched to thoroughly review the timing, sequence, and circumstances of the entire incident to fully understand what happened.

The Temple Police Department continues to investigate the tragic event while providing support to all involved.