AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Amarillo Division (CID) was awarded for their efforts in in preventing the Canyon 4th of July attack.
The Public Safety Commission (PSC), along with Texas DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin, awarded the CID in Amarillo a Unit Citation in recognition of their efforts and quick actions that prevented the attack in Canyon.
The following Texas DPS Amarillo criminal investigators received the Unit Citation:
Lt. William “Bill” BrownLt. Jered SnelgrooeLt. Robert “Ben” DollarSpecial Agent Logan EastburnSpecial Agent Christopher EckerSpecial Agent Alex GallagherSpecial Agent Micah GoodrichSpecial Agent Shannon HendersonSpecial Agent Norman “Joe” LivermoreSpecial Agent Jimmy Phoutthavong Special Agent Kendall Styles Special Agent Aaron Tarnutzer Special Agent Trevor Dillard 
Kevin Hunt, pleaded guilty to planning an attack on the Canyon Fourth of July parade in 2025(Randall County)
Texas DPS says this resulted in the arrest of Kevin Hunt, who pleaded guilty in April to federal charges for attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
In February 2025, criminal investigators in Amarillo were closely watching Hunt after he was released from a mental health program and probation. They continued to watch his digital communications and social media activity that included a desire to self-harm and to commit a mass casualty attack.
Texas DPS says Hunt shared grievances and ideations online that caused concern that he may be planning a targeted attack. Investigators immediately acted when Hunt began surveying the path of the parade ahead of the holiday.
Officials say on July 2, 2025, Hunt was detained on an emergency mental health and evidentiary search warrant for his house following the joint investigation between DPS criminal investigators, the Amarillo Police Department and the Randall County District Attorney’s Office.
The search led to the seizure of multiple guns, high-capacity magazines loaded with armor piercing and full metal jacket rounds, parts of improvised explosive devices, material used to make explosive compound and digital evidence and instructions for making explosives. Officials also found a manifesto written by Hunt where he admitted to making explosive compounds.
Hunt was federally indicted September 2025 for attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and state charges of components of explosives and terrorism and attempted capital murder of multiple persons.
The joint investigation resulted in his federal indictment and his guilty plea in April of this year.
He was also indicted on the first state level terrorism charge of its kind in Texas for the attempted capital murder of multiple persons.
Last month, Kristina Maria Partida was indicted by a state grand jury for hindering prosecution of terrorism and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. She was arrested and extradited from California.
Hunt’s federal sentencing is set for next month while his trial in Randall County is set for later this year.
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