BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) – The man accused of shooting two Brazos Valley officers and leading authorities on a 12-hour manhunt in 2022 was found guilty Thursday morning of aggravated assault against a public servant in a single shot.

In this part of his trial, Joshua Herrin was found guilty of shooting and wounding Bryan Police Department Officer Najee Watson. The jury deliberated on Herrin’s guilty verdict for seven minutes.

According to witness testimony heard in 361st District Court, Officer Watson attempted to pull Herrin over in December 2022 because his vehicle had a broken tail light. Herrin told the jury he refused to stop because his license was suspended. Herrin eventually shot Watson in the arm and leg, then stole his car right before a manhunt.

KBTX spoke with Watson Thursday after the verdict. He said he anticipated the guilty verdict, but was grateful the jury was able to see all the evidence to reach that conclusion. He added that it was unfortunate that a simple traffic stop had gotten so out of hand.

Herrin’s trial officially began Tuesday and ended Thursday morning. The penalty phase began Thursday afternoon.

This phase has the focus shifted from Watson’s injuries to the Brazos County sheriff’s deputy who was also shot and wounded by Herrin during the manhunt.

Sergeant Brittany Re was shot by Herrin just hours after the altercation with Watson. Sgt. Re found one of the vehicles Herrin was driving and began to follow him. After following Herrin for several minutes, shots from an AR-15 came from Herrin’s vehicle, striking Re’s patrol car. As she worked to notify other responding officers, Herrin stopped her vehicle in what Re, other deputies and attorneys called “an ambush,” striking Re in the shoulder and blinding her with shrapnel. Re testified that her vision was never the same.

The jury was shown body-worn and dash cam videos of Re’s response that day. This prompted an emotional response from Watson, who had to leave the room during the video.

It was an emotional trial as law enforcement officers from across the county joined the audience not only supporting their fellow law enforcement officers, but reliving the response they all made to finally catch Herrin.

The sentencing phase of that trial is expected to begin next week.

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