Taylor police are investigating a death that happened in front of the department Wednesday morning.
According to Commander Joseph Branson, a 45-year-old white male died from an “apparent suicide” in a vehicle parked in front of the Taylor Police Department.
Police identified John Drake, of Taylor, as the victim of a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound that occurred Wednesday, April 3 at around 8:35 a.m.
“One of our officers noticed that someone parked in front of the building, which is a little unusual,” Branson said. “Typically, people don’t park right in front of the police station. The officer noticed that he was slumped over, checked the scene and found the deceased.”
The victim was found in a white Ford F-150 truck.
Branson said it appears to be a single gunshot wound to the head, likely caused by a semi-automatic Ruger 9mm handgun found at the scene. There were no reports of a gunshot from neighbors or anyone in the building.
Williamson County Sheriff’s Office’s crime scene unit and investigators assisted with processing and collecting evidence.
Police did not find a note or any indication of why the victim chose the police department.
“We don’t know the motive or why he chose to do it,” Chief Henry Fluck said.
Officers said this was an isolated incident and do not see a threat to the community.
Fluck said the police department’s victim service unit coordinator and a pastor were available to help with relatives or friends grieving.
“We just offer condolences to the family,” Fluck said. “We feel very sad about what’s happened.”
Taylor Police Department recommends anyone struggling with mental health to contact Bluebonnet Trails’ hotline at 1-800-841-1255.
