The fiancée of one of three Harris County Precinct 4 Deputies said the three deputies were best friends and shared an unbreakable bond, on and off duty.
Lajah Richardson, Garrett’s fiancée told KPRC 2 that they “called each other brothers.”
“They did everything together,” she said.
Deputy Garett will undergo a second surgery on Sunday after he was shot multiple times in the back according to Constable Mark Herman. He underwent surgery as soon as he arrived at the Memorial Hermann Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. The third deputy, Juqaim Barthen, is also recovering after being shot in the leg.
Richardson also added that prior to her engagement with Garrett, the only person who knew about the proposal was Deputy Kareem Atkins, the deputy who was shot and killed in north Houston, according to officials. She now refers to him as a “fallen hero.”
“Atkins was the only one that knew (Garrett) was going to propose to me,” she said.
Prior to Pct. 4, Deputy Atkins was a police officer in College Station. Photos from the agency’s Twitter account in 2018 showed him visiting students and giving them survival kits at a school event.
As both Deputy Garrett and Deputy Barthen recover at the hospital, Richardson offered condolences to those closest to Atkins, who she said he was a good man who always put family first, as he leaves behind a wife and a 6-month-old baby.
“He took care of his family, and he just had a baby,” she said. “I hurt for (Atkins’ wife) because she has two babies that she has to look after.”
Deputy Atkins was with Pct. 4 since January 2019, while Deputy Garrett joined before him in 2018 and Deputy Barthen joined in September 2019.
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