8 Officers Risk their Lives to Help Save Domestic Violence Victim

The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce recently honored 64 police and fire fighters  with Valor Awards for their courage in protecting Fairfax citizens.

Fifteen were from the McLean District --- the largest contingent of officers recognized for valor. This is the third consecutive year  that the McLean District has achieved that distinction. Our thanks and congratulations to McLean District Commander Capt. Steve Thompson and his officers. 

McLean Patch is profiling each McLean District winner.

Silver Medal of Valor Recipients

Second Lieutenant  Matthew Pifer, Police Officer First Class Greyson Bass, Police Officer First Class Kirk McNickle, Police Officer First Class Anthony Stancampiano

Bronze Medal of Valor Recipients

Police Officer First Class Sean Craddock, Police Officer First Class Christopher Lincoln, Police Officer First Class Bradley Metz, Police Officer First Class Mustafa Mohamud

Gunshots shattered a calm evening, and 9-1-1 callers reported a woman had been shot in the front yard of a house and a man with a gun was seen running into that house.

Second Lieutenant Pifer and PFC McNickle arrived on scene within minutes. They found the woman face down in the grass. They determined she was still breathing and called for rescue units. Only then did the officers realize they were in potentially grave danger.  Pifer immediately went on the radio to prevent any more officers from coming to their vulnerable location. He and McNickle then dragged the woman across the yard to take cover behind a row of hedges.

An ambulance appeared and Pifer and McNickle prepared to help move the injured woman as rapidly as possible; but, the hot zone prevented the EMS from approaching.

Other officers knew McNickle and Pifer were still in danger with only hedges to conceal them from the gunman.  PFC Bass suddenly joined them and helped carry the victim to a safer location across the street.  PFC Stancampiano, who is a trained medic, arrived and immediately began assessing the woman’s medical condition learning he needed an airbag to help keep this woman alive. He and McNickle instantly developed a plan, left the relative safety of their position, and ran across the danger zone to the ambulance. Once they had the airbag, the two again ran totally unprotected across the gunman’s line of sight and back to the injured woman. Stancampiano started delivering rescue breaths as a resident shouted that the gunman had a rifle.

McNickle asked nearby officers for help moving the victim to the ambulance. Officers Metz, Lincoln, Craddock, and Mohamud responded instantly and joined Pifer, Bass, McNickle, and Stancampiano. Six of them carried the victim, using their own bodies to shield her from the suspect’s sight.  Pifer and Stancampiano ran beside them and provided cover with their handguns.  Not once did any of these officers hesitate to risk their lives for the victim’s.

Turning the woman over to the care of the medics, they ran back to the scene and positioned themselves in a perimeter around the house. Eight hours after their arrival, all eight officers were finally relieved by the SWAT team. The barricade situation continued for a day and a half, only ending when the gunman shot and killed himself.

The woman also died.

The heroism and valor these officers displayed is a true testament to the caliber and character of the men and women who serve on the Fairfax County Police Department.