Kyle TX police officer dead of suicide
San Marcos TX Sept 20 2018
Authorities identified an off-duty Kyle police officer found dead at a San Marcos apartment complex as 28-year-old Fernando Solis.
Solis shot himself in his personal vehicle Sunday night in the parking lot of the Asbury Place Apartments in the 1300 block of Wonder World Drive, according to a statement Monday by San Marcos officials.
San Marcos police and EMS medics found Solis around 5 p.m.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Officer Solis’ family and to the entire Kyle Police Department,” San Marcos Chief of Police Chase Stapp said in the statement.
Solis was a father of two and a retired Marine.
Solis graduated from Hays High School in 2008 and worked at H-E-B for a few years before serving in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2011 to 2015.
Solis was hired by the Kyle Police Department in February 2017 and went into the police academy several months after that. He has been an active Kyle police officer since December.
Kyle police employees said they will remember Solis as a good officer who was always smiling and cracking jokes.
“Solis will be fondly remembered by KPD staff,” Chief Jeff Barnett said. “His tragic death leaves a hole in our family. … We have many unanswered questions, but what we need right now is to come together as a family to help, to listen, to heal, and to keep moving forward to serve the residents of Kyle.”
Barnett said all city staff has access to the Critical Incident Stress Management Team and volunteer clergy who work with the Police Department.
“Kyle PD is grateful to all the individuals and agencies that reached out during this difficult time with their condolences and offers of support,” Barnett said. “It means a lot to all of us.”
He added that all city employees extend their sincere condolences to the Solis family.
Earlier: Kyle police issued a statement late Sunday confirming that one of its officers had been found dead earlier in the day in San Marcos.
“Kyle Police Department confirms that it was notified earlier this evening about the death of one of its police officers,” the statement said. “The incident occurred when the officer was off duty in San Marcos. The officer’s death is under investigation by the San Marcos Police Department. No further information will be released at this time.”
It said more information would be released Monday morning by San Marcos police.
KXAN reported that the officer was found at the Asbury Place Apartments on Wonder World Drive in San Marcos.
The Kyle Fire Department released a statement Sunday night that said: “Please keep the Kyle Police Department in your thoughts and prayers. RIP to our brother in blue.”
San Marcos Hays County EMS also sent out condolences in a tweet, saying “Please say a prayer for this officer and their family both blood and blue.”
The message said: “We will not be sharing anything further until it is released by Kyle Police Department.”
