Veteran Austin police sergeant dies from burns
Sgt. Gary Christenberry, called a ‘hero to many,’ was injured Sept. 12.
A 24-year veteran Austin Police Department officer died Friday after spending the last two weeks battling severe burns sustained in an off-duty accident at his home.
The department made Sgt. Gary Christenberry’s death public in a tweet by a top police official.
“Gary was just a great friend and a great guy,” said Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, who knew Christenberry for two decades.
“He was just a fantastic cop, who loved APD and loved the community.”
He said the two worked together out of the South Austin police substation years ago; Casaday worked evenings, Christenberry the overnight shift.
“He loved working those types of calls at that time of night,” Casaday said, describing Christenberry as a by-the-book officer who devoted his time off to his family.
Austin interim Police Chief Brian Manley expressed his condolences Friday, saying the department “lost a friend, mentor, leader and a dedicated officer.”
Christenberry, who started his career with the department on July 9, 1993, was one of nine Austin officers honored with a distinguished service award in 1999 for their actions during a fire at the Friendship Hall Apartments on South Congress Avenue.
He rose through the ranks to corporal in January 2002 and sergeant in July 2008. He was most recently assigned to South-Central Austin, police said.
“Gary will be remembered as the hero he was to many,” Manley said. “He will be greatly missed, and we thank him and his family for the 24 years of public service he provided our Austin community.”
Christenberry’s family provided some information about his injuries in a post on an online fundraising page that they established two weeks ago to help pay for the sergeant’s medical bills.