Officer

Department of Justice

6/7/2013

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

On June 7, 2013 at 11:52 a.m., Santa Monica College Police Sergeant Raymond Bottenfield, who was in plain clothe and not wearing any body armor, was racing to Santa Monica College where a lone gunman had reportedly opened fire on students and faculty, fatally wounding one person. Further reports indicated that the gunman had earlier killed his father and older brother, torched his home, carjacked a passing motorist and forced her to drive him to the college campus. Arriving on scene, Sergeant Bottenfield met with Santa Monica Police Officers Robert Sparks and Jason Salas. Learning the gunman was in the campus library they rushed to the building to find the assailant firing at a group of employees who were barricaded in a storage room. Despite being exposed and vulnerable to the assailant's fire should he turn around, the three officers crossed the opened distance and commanded the shooter to drop his weapon. As the shooter turned, he aimed his assault rifle at them. The officers opened fire, killing the assailant ending his murderous rampage