Officers chase down, arrest man following theft outside local police-fire benefit

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Off-duty Waco police officers attending a “Battle of the Badges” event Monday night chased down a man who witnesses saw stealing from vehicles parked outside

One of the witnesses saw the theft happening and ran inside the Waco Axe Co. to notify the dozens of police officers and firefighters who were inside for a benefit at the time.

Upon notification, several off-duty officers, including interim Waco police Chief Frank Gentsch, ran after the man.

The suspect, who dropped a backpack and a trailer hitch along the way, was caught a few blocks away and on-duty officers came to finish the arrest.

Clinton Deshaun Norman was in the McLennan County Jail Tuesday charged with evading arrest and burglary.

His bonds total $2,000.

Gentsch says the man took a trailer hitch off of a truck and was seen rummaging through several vehicles outside the Waco Axe Co. where a fundraiser was taking place for the family of Lindsey Garnett-Hale, 35, a paramedic with AMR who passed away Oct. 15 after suffering a medical event on-duty.

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