Concealed Carrier Awarded For Saving Police Officer

An Ohio man has been given the Citizen’s Award of Valor for his role in saving the life of a law enforcement officer. 

Cpl. Michael Wheeler of the Mount Vernon Police Department was caught off guard when a homeless man, high on crystal methamphetamine, struck him and pinned his body to the ground, Inside Edition reports.

“I’ve never been in that situation before,” Wheeler recalled. “I’ve always been able to take control of a situation.”

Wheeler’s attacker managed to rip off the officer’s shoulder microphone, cutting off his ability to call for back-up. Wheeler, who has been a police officer for 14 years, struggled to keep the homeless man from reaching his holstered firearm.

It was then that concealed carrier Dylan DeBoard approached the squabble with his gun aimed at the aggressor. The homeless man stopped his attack and held his hands up. Wheeler, completely disoriented, was confused.

“I didn’t know if he was pointing at me or him,” Wheeler said. 

DeBoard told the officer that he had a concealed weapons permit, signaling that he was on the officer’s side. Wheeler took advantage of the homeless man’s temporary distraction and pushed him off of his body, pinned him to the ground, and handcuffed him. 

Wheeler has spent the past year periodically visiting DeBoard’s home to thank him for saving his life.

“Every time I see him I let him know how much I appreciate what he did,” Wheeler said.

The law enforcement officer noted that DeBoard intervened while other witnesses just stood by while he was being attacked.

“I wish a lot more of society would do what he did,” Wheeler said of DeBoard. “There were people standing around, but they were just watching. I kept wondering why people didn’t do anything.”

In July, on the one-year anniversary of the incident, Wheeler personally awarded DeBoard the Citizens Award of Valor during a ceremony at the town’s city hall. On the city’s official Facebook page, officials thanked DeBoard for his bravery and assistance.

A report conducted by the Crime Prevention Research Center found that the number of Americans with a concealed carry permit had increased by 215 percent since 2007, according to Newsmax.

Currently, roughly 6 percent of U.S. adults have a concealed carry permit.

Sources: The City of Mount Vernon, Ohio/Facebook, Inside Edition, Newsmax / Photo credit: The City of Mount Vernon, Ohio/Facebook