A life meant to keep unfolding was cut short on January 11, 2026. Officer Elijah Garretson of the Copperas Cove Police Department was 27 years old when gunfire took him from the people and community he had sworn to serve. His End of Watch is now a date carried by others: colleagues, loved ones, fellow veterans, and everyone who understands how much promise can exist inside a young public servant’s life. Garretson had served approximately seven months with the department. That number describes the length of his assignment, but it cannot measure the weight of his sacrifice. He was more than a badge number or…

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