El Segundo Police Department, Officer

Other

4/11/2008

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

On April 11, 2008, Lieutenant Garcia and Officer O'Connor were working a special detail at a theatre complex when they were told by the manager of an uncooperative man in the lobby who was demanding a ticket refund. The officers approached and noticed the man appeared extremely sweaty. The subject pulled away at an attempted pat down and then retrieved a weapon when the officers reached for him. The subject opened fire, his first shot striking Lieutenant Garcia in the face. The round entered above Lieutenant Garcia's lip, shattering the right side of his upper jaw, knocking out several teeth. The bullet continued on, striking a vertebrae and finally lodging in Lieutenant Garcia's neck. Officer O'Connor tackled the subject, but he continued firing, striking Officer O'Connor in the chest and shoulder at point blank range. Fortunately Officer O'Connor's bullet proof vest absorbed the impact from the torso shot, but the shoulder shot caused extensive damage, severing several tendons and muscles. The subject then got up and ran from the building. As he did so, Officer O'Connor followed, engaging the subject in a running gun battle. Lieutenant Garcia, dazed and bleeding profusely fought off his injuries and followed, also firing his service weapon. Both officers fired until the subject was incapacitated.