It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Detective Charles “Chuck” Dinwiddie.   Dinwiddie was an 18 year veteran of the Killeen Police Department and a member of the SWAT Team for 15 years of those years.

Detective Charles Dinwiddie

“Our community has suffered a great loss. Few people have touched the number of lives, in such a meaningful way, as Detective Dinwiddie. As a dedicated professional, his service to the Killeen community was with honor, courage, and unwavering loyalty. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time, says Chief Dennis Baldwin.”

On Friday, May 9, 2014, just after 5:30am, members of the Killeen Police Department Tactical Response Unit and the Bell County Organized Crime Unit were attempting to serve a narcotics search warrant. The TRU was beginning to breach the window when the 49 year old male inside, opened fire striking four officers. Two of the officers who were shot, received minor wounds because they were shot in an area where their safety equipment protected them; they were treated and released at Scott & White Memorial Hospital.

Officer Odis Denton

Officer Odis Denton, a 9 year veteran of the department and an 8 year SWAT Team member, was shot in the femur. He was transported to the Carl R Darnall Army Hospital and later transferred to Scott & White Memorial Hospital. After undergoing surgery Officer Denton is in the Intensive Care Unit in good condition; he continues to recover successfully. Detective Dinwiddie received a life threatening wound to the face and was immediately transported to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and later transferred to Scott & White Memorial Hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. On Sunday, May 11, 2014, Detective Dinwiddie succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 2:14 pm by Justice of the Peace David Barfield. Detective Dinwiddie’s body will be escorted to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas on Monday, May 12, 2014, for an autopsy to be performed.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be released as they become available.

The Killeen Police Department would like to thank the members of the Temple and Harker Heights Police Departments and Scott and White Memorial Hospital for providing their phenomenal support to us during this very trying time.

Carroll Smith
Public Affairs
Killeen Police Department