Officers Ryan Smith and John Duncan, riding a Westside Patrol unit, viewed the serious knifing of an assault victim and proceeded to apprehend the two suspects involved in a chaotic patrol scene last September.
For their dutiful response to the chaos HPOU awarded the two officers its Patrol Officers of the Month recognition as part of two presentations in the March general membership meeting.
Here are the facts:
Smith and Duncan were compiling information for a report in the 8300 block of the West Sam Houston Tollway South when they viewed an assault scene. When they approached the scene, seeing one suspect trying to flee. Duncan ran after him and caught up with him.
Officer Smith tended to the group of people who were yelling and wanting to engage in a fight. Smith also saw a knifing victim standing by, holding a gaping stomach wound that exposed his intestines. Members of the group pointed to one of three males trying to exit the scene as the primary suspect in the knifing.
Smith called for backup while ordering the three males to halt. He pulled his duty weapon as one of the three men approached him in an aggressive manner, whereupon the officer tased him and handcuffed him. Backup units rounded up the other two males, who had tried to get away from the scene.
Duncan took charge of the wounded individual, providing first aid and talking to him to keep him conscious as HFD paramedics arrived.
Officers recovered the knife and found a baggy of cocaine on one of the other suspects. Charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon were filed against two suspects, while felony PCS charges were filed on one of them.
The officers were recognized for their highly professional and effective reaction to a life-threatening situation.