Timothy Scott Abernethy
Agency patch
Police Officer

Timothy Scott Abernethy

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX
Felonious
End of Watch December 7, 2008
Age 43
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 157 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Tim Abernethy was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspect who fled following a traffic stop.

Officer Abernethy had lost sight of the man as he chased him around a building in an apartment complex. After going around the corner the man hid behind a gate and then shot the officer twice in the torso and then walked around the officer and shot him in the head.

The officer was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds a short time later.

The suspect was arrested a short time later by deputies from the Harris County Sheriff's Department. He was found guilty of the murder on April 6, 2010 and was sentenced to death.

Officer Abernethy had served with the Houston Police Department for 11 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, and siblings.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Abernethy gave the Houston Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Abernethy.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 2008
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Timothy is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2008, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Timothy was 43. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Timothy had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Houston Police Department has 117 officers remembered here, Timothy among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Timothy Scott Abernethy

Houston Police Department · End of Watch December 7, 2008

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 25-E

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