Parents were caught off-guard when a group of Texas State Troopers showed up at a children’s baseball game. However, as soon as they saw the sign, they realized what they were about to do.
After a little league baseball game had begun, fans looked across the field to see more than a dozen Texas State Troopers approaching. Decked out in their uniforms and fully armed, the officers walked up to the fence surrounding the diamond and leaned against it, lining the edge with a row of tan cowboy hats.
Normally, a mass of armed law enforcement officers would cause any citizen concern. However, once confused spectators saw the sign bordering the outfield, they immediately knew why the troopers were there.
The troopers had shown up to support one little boy whose dad couldn’t make it due to a tragic incident. Texas State Trooper Juan Rojas Tovar was shot 13 times while trying to apprehend a mass shooter. Although he had successfully fought for his life in the hospital, he was still in recovery when his son’s game was scheduled.
In place of their colleague, more than a dozen troopers showed up in force to watch his son’s baseball game and cheer on the little boy. As a show of support, “Pray for Tovar” was spelled out on the chain-link fence with red plastic cups.
Larry Winston Bollin, 27, was charged with murder and attempted capital murder after he opened fire on his coworkers at the Kent Moore Cabinets manufacturing facility in Bryan, KBTX reports. He killed one man and injured Trooper Tovar and three others. The officer sustained over a dozen gunshot wounds, including several to his face, while pursuing Bollin.
The Bryan Police Department confirmed that Timothy Smith, 40, was killed in the shooting. Two victims were in stable condition before being released from the hospital but Tovar and another civilian were left in critical condition.
Tovar underwent extensive treatment for his injuries at two different hospitals. After he was discharged from a local hospital, he was flown to Austin for further surgery.
“Trooper Tovar continues his road to recovery, and we want to thank the community for their support,” the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a post on social media.
Fortunately, Tovar recovered from his injuries. Although he lost his left eye, his survival is nothing short of a miracle.
“When I came home, I really just wanted to see my son. I hadn’t seen him since that day,” said Tovar. “Seeing everybody there that day, I saw my son, he had a sign for me, and you know, I was glad to see him again. I was happy to see him.”
Texas State Trooper Juan Rojas Tovar has been hailed a hero for going above and beyond in the line of duty. He risked his life in an effort to prevent the death of others. Since then, the community has rallied around the trooper, hosting benefits to help him and his family.
Tovar has expressed his gratitude for his community and his colleagues. He knows that friends and even strangers will surround his family with the love and support they need no matter what happens to him.
