Killeen Police Identify Soldier Who Killed Police Officer

Killeen police have identified the man who fatally shot an officer and wounded another during a Sunday standoff.

Fort Hood soldier Pfc. Dustin Billy Cole was identified Tuesday as the man responsible for the death of Officer Robert Hornsby. Cole, a native of Talihina, Oklahoma, enlisted in October of 2008 and served as a combat engineer. According to a Fort Hood press release, Cole was assigned to the 584th Engineer Company, 36th Engineer Brigade in February of 2009. Cole deployed to Afghanistan twice, returning most recently in February of this year. He was killed after opening fire on Killeen SWAT officers early Sunday morning after it appeared he might surrender.

Officer Hornsby, 32, was killed in the exchange of gunfire. The Killeen Police Department will hold a public viewing today between 5 and 8:30 p.m. at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. A funeral service will take place Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Conference Center, and he will be buried at Killeen City Cemetery.

Officer Hornsby will be honored with the United States flag that few over the remains of the Twin Towers in New York after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Anyone wishing to donate to Officer Hornsby’s family may do so by visiting the Hornsby Family Fund website or mailing a check to Extraco Banks, Attn.: Benefit of Robert Hornsby, P.O. Box 2330, Harker Heights, TX 76548. An account has been created specifically to benefit the fallen officer’s family under number 20396883.