Hundreds Gather to Honor Fallen Austin SWAT Officer

Thank you Officer Pastore for keeping us safe and protecting our city.

Words on a sign held by school children who lined streets of downtown Austin, Texas for the processional for Senior Police Officer Jorge “George” Pastore, 38, who was killed in the line of duty on November 11, 2023.

Pastore’s career with the Austin Police Department began in 2019; he served in the Austin PD’s Honor Guard, SWAT Gold Team, Special Response Team (SRT) and Counter Assault Strike Team (CAST), and is “survived by his wife, two step-sons, parents and two sisters” (Austin PD). On November 11, he led his SWAT team’s charge into an Austin home during a hostage standoff, and was shot and killed by the suspect; two hostages were also killed. Pastore’s procession and funeral took place Friday, as police from across the state gathered to honor him. Lt. Elijah Myrick said of Pastore, “Doing that extra 10%, that’s what he was about. That’s what he instilled in his life at the department and off the department …”

“Pastore’s death marks the first time in more than a decade that an Austin police officer was killed by a shooting in the line of duty,” the Austin American-Statesman reports.

Fallen Austin police officer Jorge Pastore honored during procession, funeral (Austin-American Statesman)

From procession to funeral, see how Austin came out in support of Jorge Pastore (Austin American-Statesman)