(Seguin) — The names and stories of fallen peace officers were remembered Friday morning as the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office and the Seguin Police Department hosted a joint Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony at the Seguin Coliseum.
The annual observance brought together law enforcement officers, elected officials, clergy, and community members to pay tribute to officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
Representatives from multiple agencies, including the Seguin Fire Department, were invited to attend.
Guadalupe County Sheriff Joshua Ray opened the ceremony by reflecting on the lives lost in service to their communities.
“Our nation lost too many. One is too many. Badge numbers that will never be issued again. Too many chairs that will sit empty at the dinner table. Too many children who will grow up asking questions that deserve better answers than life has given them,” said Ray.
Ray says despite the lives lost including the eight here in Texas in 2025, every officer understands the risks that come with putting on the badge.
“I stand before you today as a sheriff, but more than that, as someone who understands the weight of this profession. I know what it means to send your people out into the unknown every single shift. I know the pride we have in our chosen profession, and I also know the dangers. Every officer in this country knows them as well,” said Ray.
He reminded those in the audience that those being remembered knowingly accepted those dangers in order to serve others.
“The men and women we honor today knew those risks. They chose this profession anyway. Not because it was easy, but because someone had to. Because they believed in something greater than themselves. They believed in their communities, in justice, and in the idea that every person deserves to be safe,” said Ray. “That kind of courage deserves more than a moment of silence. It deserves a lifetime of remembrance.”
That lifetime of remembrance rings true today for Seguin Police Chief Jason Brady. Brady used the occasion to remember Officer Joe Carrillo, the only Seguin police officer to die as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty. Brady says Carrillo’s legacy remains an important part of the department’s identity and culture.
“In September 26th of 1965, young Officer Joe Carrillo was conducting a traffic stop. It was for a headlight out here on Court Street. When he stopped the car, the driver produced a gun, shot him in the chest. Despite this devastating wound, Officer Carrillo returned fire, pursued the vehicle, and was able to put out information on the radio — demonstrated extreme bravery, dedication to service that night. His story didn’t end there,” said Brady. “He managed to come back to work, and he chose to serve Seguin even after that incident and he served as a detective in that capacity for another 10 years. But unfortunately, that old wound caught up with him. He never really recovered fully, and he died of complications from that gunshot wound July 20th, 1975.
During his speech, Brady recognized more than just the officers. He also recognized the families left behind when an officer is killed in the line of duty.
“I want to address families of those that are fallen because we want to remember them too. They share in the profession of their loved ones, spouses, fathers, daughters, sons, brothers, to their loved ones that aren’t coming home. And they signed up for this too, whether they knew it or not. Maybe they understood the gravity of it. Maybe they didn’t. But they live with that pain and that loss, and they grieve after the newspaper headlines fade. After the 21-gun salute, they continue,” said Brady.
The ceremony also included a combined honor guard presentation by the Seguin Police Department and Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, the presentation of “Taps,” and bagpipes – plus proclamations from the City of Seguin and Guadalupe County.
Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed each year in May during National Police Week to honor federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have died or been disabled in the line of duty.