"Heroes Live Forever" - the story of Cortez (CO) Patrolman Dale Claxton

At the age of 42, Dale Claxton wanted to do something more meaningful with his life; so he became a police officer. He had finally found his calling, but it all ended three years later.

Cortez (CO) Patrolman Dale Claxton

McLean, VA (April 8, 2025) - At the age of 42, Dale Claxton had grown tired of his job selling and repairing tires. He wanted to do something more meaningful with his life. It wasn’t long before he was being sworn in as a Cortez, Colorado, police officer. He had finally found his calling. On May 29, 1998—three years into his police career—he received a report of a stolen water truck. Soon after, he spotted the truck and pulled it over. Before Patrolman Claxton could even unbuckle his seatbelt or unholster his gun, one of the three suspects in the stolen vehicle jumped out and opened fire on him with a fully automatic rifle, shooting him 29 times. Dale Claxton’s death sparked one of the largest manhunts in our nation’s history. The National Guard and more than 500 federal, state and local law enforcement officers converged on the area of Colorado known as Four Corners, where the borders of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado all meet. The three suspects, all militia members with a hatred of the government, disappeared into the surrounding desert canyons. All died by suicide. Listen to the podcast to learn more: https://open.substack.com/pub/behindbadge/p/heroes-live-forever-the-story-of-353?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web