Former Potter County Corrections Officer Hayden McAdams has been recognized with one of the state’s highest law enforcement honors for his off-duty actions during a mass shooting in downtown Amarillo earlier this year.

McAdams was named the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) Region 5 Officer of the Year for his response to a Jan. 26, 2025, nightclub shooting on Polk Street that left nine people wounded.

Gov. Greg Abbott presented the award Sept. 6 during CLEAT’s regional ceremony, where Potter County Law Enforcement Association President Jonathan Gates accepted it on McAdams’ behalf. Days later, McAdams was formally recognized again in Amarillo, when Sheriff Brian Thomas and Gates presented the honor Sept. 10 at the Potter County Sheriff’s Office.

A night of chaos

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