On December 13, 2000, seven convicted felons walked out of a maximum-security Texas prison in broad daylight. They overpowered guards, stole weapons, and drove through the front gate in a maintenance truck. For eleven days, they stayed ahead of the largest manhunt in Texas history. Then, on Christmas Eve, they robbed a sporting goods store in Irving. Officer Aubrey Hawkins responded to the call. He left his family at dinner, drove across the highway, and pulled into the car park. He never saw the ambush coming. Shot eleven times and run over as the escapees fled, Hawkins became the tragic end to one of the most audacious prison breaks in American history. This is the story of the Texas Seven, the month-long manhunt that followed, and the police officer who paid the ultimate price.
","author_name":"Jack Laurence"}