Cop from Sudden Shootout in Stationhouse Speaks

Detroit has honored 17 police officers who helped bring down a lone gunman who shot up a police station, wounding four officers before being shot and killed himself.

Surveillance video from the city's Sixth Precinct on Jan. 23 shows four cops working behind the front desk, when out of nowhere, a man walks in hiding a shotgun, and opens fire.

As the officers took cover, an all out firefight erupted. The gunman continued his assault, leaping over the desk, and came face-to-face with Commander Brian Davis, whom he shot at point-blank range.

A blast hit Davis' fingers and knocked away his gun. Even though he'd also been shot in the back, Davis kept fighting. Using anything close-by, he threw a trash can at the gunman. At that point, police say, the shooter was mortally wounded, and was seen in stumbling to the ground.

The entire incident lasted just 38 seconds.

Four officers were wounded. All are on the mend.

Police identified the gunman as 38-year-old Lamar Moore. Although his motive remains unknown, Moore was under investigation for an alleged sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl, and had a relative awaiting sentencing in a murder case.

As officials work to implement new security measures for on-duty police, Davis and his colleagues are being called heroes.

"We, as citizens, need to everyday thank God for them," Detroit Mayor David Bing told the ceremony honoring them Thursday night.

On "The Early Show" Friday, a modest Davis told co-anchor Chris Wragge everything happened so quickly, he simply reacted, without any time to think. "I was very surprised," Davis said, "that he came in and started shooting. Then I went into a protective mode to protect my officers and myself. … It happened so fast that … I really don't think that I processed anything that quickly. You know, I went into a protective mode, and I just started firing shots and my objective was to stop him."

But Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee lauded Davis, saying fate put him where he was at the time, and his being there undoubtedly saved several lives.

To see the complete interview, click on the video below. But beware: much of what you'll see -- the video of the shootout -- is grpahic: