Deborah Morris for Garland

09/07/2026

**UPDATE** Officer-Involved Shooting - Deceased Identified

The deceased individual has been identified as 37-year-old Michael Antonio Santacruz.

The investigation remains active.

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**UPDATE**

News Release
Issue Date: September 7, 2026
Release Number: 2026-09-28

Officer-Involved Shooting with Machete-Wielding Man

Today, Monday, September 7, 2026, at approximately 2:15 AM, officers were dispatched to a weapons related disturbance at a gas station in the 3000 block of Broadway Boulevard. A caller reported that a man was walking around the area holding a machete. Multiple officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the man.

At approximately 3:20 AM, officers were dispatched to the area of Broadway Boulevard and Colonel Drive regarding another weapons related disturbance. A caller reported that a man matching the description from the earlier call was at a bus stop armed with a machete.

Multiple officers arrived and located a man matching descriptions from the previous two calls, at the bus stop with the machete in his hand. Officers immediately began speaking with the man and repeatedly instructed him to drop the machete for several minutes. The man refused their commands and began advancing toward the officers in an aggressive manner.

Officers continued pleading with the man to drop the machete while retreating away from him. A less-lethal department issued electric control device was deployed but was ineffective. The man began swinging the machete and advanced toward the officers as they continued retreating and giving commands to drop the machete. The man ignored all commands and as he advanced toward them, officers discharged their department-issued fi****ms, striking him.

Officers immediately began lifesaving measures. The Garland Fire Department paramedics were staged nearby and transported the man to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The scene remains under investigation as detectives work to determine the complete circumstances surrounding the incident.

As part of department policy and standard procedure, the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave. The Garland Police Department Professional Standards Unit and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity Division will conduct separate investigations into the incident.

The identity of the deceased will not be released at this time, pending notification of next of kin.
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We are currently investigating an officer-involved shooting in the area of Broadway Boulevard and Colonel Drive.

The subject is deceased, and no officers were injured.

All northbound and southbound lanes of Broadway Boulevard at Colonel Drive are currently closed. Please avoid the area and seek an alternate route.

PIO is on scene.

09/07/2026

Many people’s responses whenever they read of a police officer fatally shooting someone wielding “only” a knife or other edged weapon is, “Why SHOOT someone with a KNIFE??”

My brother-in-law was a career FBI agent, and I’ll never forget him sharing, early in his training at Quantico, about the gun-vs-knife training exercises they went through. The faux attackers used rubber knives with lipstick or paint on the “blades” to mark their strikes if they reached the trainees. The trainees had to decide when to draw and fire.

It was a shock to almost all of them to get rubber-knifed because of underestimating the speed at which an attacker could reach them before they could react with force.

The 21-foot rule, also known as the Tueller drill, shows how fast an attacker can close distance. Learn what it really means for self-defense and deadly force decisions.

09/07/2026

“According to officials they were called between 2 and 3 a.m. about a man standing in the road with a machete. Officers say they tried to negotiate with him for 15-25 minutes, but advanced toward officers. That's when officers fired, officials said, killing the man. The name of the deceased has not yet been released.”

A subject is dead following an officer-involved shooting near Broadway Boulevard and Colonel Drive. No officers were injured, department officials said.

09/06/2026

Thankful for B.J. Williams’ many years of service to Garland residents, and his presence in our community. His passing will leave a big void.

B.J. was recently recognized as part of the Community Impact Awards in Garland honoring legacies of individual service. His years on the Garland City Council — from 2012 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2026 — were marked by a commitment to thoughtful planning, stronger neighborhoods, improved infrastructure and partnerships that enhanced the quality of life for Garland residents. He also served on the Garland Plan Commission, the Charter Review Committee, the Housing Standards Board and numerous civic initiatives.

As a former president of the Garland NAACP, a mentor through Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's SPARKS Youth Mentoring Program, a mentor to local middle school students, a church leader and a volunteer in communities beyond Garland, Williams has consistently invested in people — especially young people — believing that leadership begins by lifting others.

https://www.garlandtx.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3817

09/06/2026

Pretty sunset sky tonight…

09/05/2026

HOLIDAY TRASH SCHEDULE:

Garbage, recycling, and brush and bulky pickup schedules next week will not be impacted.

09/04/2026

Food Giveaway: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026 @ Good Shepherd Catholic Church parking lot, 1304 Main St., Garland, TX 75040. We begin giving out the food around 9:30 a.m. and end at 11:00 a.m. or sooner if we run out of food. COME EARLY!

09/03/2026

Answering a few of your tax rate election questions publicly so we’ll all know the answers:

Q: “The need for more police and firefighters should be based on call volume and response times, not just by comparing to other cities.”

A: Here are those stats:

🚒 Fire Call Volumes
2006: 19,121
2015: 21,970
2020: 25,729
2025: 30,358

🚒 Response Times:
2005: 4:25
2015: 5:05
2025: 5:35
2026 YTD: 6:00

🚒 Number of Fire Employees (Sworn)
2005: 246
2015: 254
2020: 264
2025: 285

🚓 Police Call Volumes
2005: 142,255
2015: 139,170
2025: 146,148

🚓 Number of Officers Per 1000 Residents:
2005: 1.5
2025: 1.4

🚓 Number of Police Employees (Sworn)
2005: 314
2015: 334
2020: 354
2025: 357

👤 Garland Population
2005: 221,950
2010: 226,876
2020: 246,018
2025: 249,625

Q: “How much has the General Schedule employee headcount increased per resident? How much has total compensation per employee increased?“

A: From 2006-2026:
•Population has increased 12%
•Number of Employee Positions* has increased 10.1%
•Employees per 1000 Residents have decreased -1.7%

*NOTE: The city has 202 vacancies as of the end of July 2026, so there’s currently only 2,115 of actual workforce. Many of the vacancies are hard to fill since city employees’ wages are running 10-25% behind market. Total compensation per employee for most non-civil service general schedule employees has not kept up with market (or inflation).

Q: “Where does the money budgeted and set aside go from the 202 vacancies?”

A: If the positions go unfilled all year, much or all of it will go to overtime to cover vacant positions and excess Fire overtime. Historically, much of the salary ‘savings’ in past years went to overtime (for example, Fire was budgeted at around 1.75 million in OT and came in at 3.2). But other departments also use OT to keep the work moving without the positions.

Q: “What was actually cut from the budget this year (along with closing the Bradfield Pool and Rec Center, which will mostly reduce future/ongoing costs in the millions)?”

A: About $1.2 million was cut from this year’s adopted budget, mostly from department operating budgets and cutting 6 positions.

Q: ”The city tax base has increased from approx $11B in 2016 to over $26B in 2025. That is a 137% increase over the last nine years. The city budget went from $681M to $1.1B an increase of 64% in nine years. The increase in Garland property values has surpassed inflation almost 3x over and the budget increases are 2x inflation. Why?”

A: These tax base figures aren’t taking into account the impact of the SB2 revenue caps that went into effect in 2020. Over the last 9 years, the general fund tax revenue increased 69% (not 137%) due to SB 2. If you look at just 2020 to 2025, the tax base went up 65% but general fund revenue only went up 18%—which is 3.6% per year compared to an average annual tax base growth of 13%.

Q: ”Why are operating expenses growing several times faster than consumer inflation numbers?

A: The cost of the things a City buys (labor, health insurance, construction materials, computers, fleet vehicles, etc.) has grown at a far greater rate of inflation than most household spending. For instance, a pre-covid fire engine cost approximately $500,000 and now costs around $1.2 million. Concrete (2,600 miles of streets!) is now more than double the pre-covid price.

That’s why there’s a significant difference between the CPI (Consumer Price Index) figures and the MCI (Municipal Cost Index). The CPI measures the general consumer price inflation while the MCI tracks the specific inflation costs for local governments:

CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE & MATERIALS
-Total Construction Inputs: up 41.8% cumulative increase since 2020
-Aluminum Prices: up 45.0% year-over-year surge (as of 2026)
-Structural Steel: up 27.0% year-over-year surge (as of 2026)
-Copper Wire & Cable: up 24.2% annual increase (as of 2026)

COMPUTER SOFTWARE & ACCESSORIES
This category experienced an unprecedented pricing anomaly. As detailed by the Federal Reserve Board, software went from its historical average of -5% annual deflation to a 73% annualized inflation surge between late 2025 and early 2026.

LABOR, SERVICES & INSURANCE
-Health Insurance Premiums: up18% to 26% (for the 2026 cycle)
-Public Project Contractor Bids: up 5.0% to 8.0% "inflation premium" added to city contracts
-Construction & Trade Labor Wages: up 4.9% annual increase (as of 2026)

CUMULATIVE INFLATION COMPARISON (2020-2026)
•Overall Consumer Baseline (CPI): up ~25% cumulative increase
•Municipal Cost Index (MCI): up ~42% cumulative increase:

Q: ”What other North Texas cities are holding tax rate elections? How does Garland’s proposed tax rate compare? And is it true that the tax rate will go *down* whether I vote yes or no?”

A: Garland seems to be the only City holding a tax rate election where the rate sought is actually going *down*. (See attached charts.) Yes, it is true that both “yes” and “no” votes will result in a reduced tax rate. A “yes” vote will deliver a reduction of about 1-cent/$100 taxable value (along with the list of additional police, firefighters, dispatchers and other new or ongoing services outlined on the election website linked below). A “no” vote will deliver a reduction of about 4.6-cents/$100 taxable value (but none of the additional public safety personnel or other services listed).

FOR COMPLETE ELECTION DETAILS AND A PERSONAL TAX CALCULATOR SEE: https://www.votegarland.com