Garland Officer Receiving Accolades After Take Down Of Suspects
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GARLAND(CBSDFW.COM- Outnumbered and outgunned, a Garland police officer brought down both suspects outside the Curtis Culwell Center Sunday.
Monday, CBS11 went to a police shooting range to find out just how difficult a feat that was considering both suspects were wearing body armor.
Police academy instructor Phil Ryan considers the Garland officer's take down of two armed men remarkable.
"Very brave and quick-thinking for him to do what he did," says Ryan.
The officer and an unarmed security guard were sitting in a patrol car blocking this entrance to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, when a sedan pulled up and two suspects got out. Police say the gunmen were armed with assault rifles.
The officer was carrying his duty pistol, a much less powerful weapon.
"The officer is lucky he wasn't hit because I'm sure his body armor would have been penetrated by that rifle round," says Ryan.
With standard ammunition, though, the officer would have to shoot around the suspect's vest.
"It can go above the body armor, below the body armor or of course the head," says Ryan.
Under pressure it appears the officer managed to do that. Twice.
The department still not releasing that officer's name but commended him Monday for a job well done. A police spokesperson tells CBS11, moments after he brought the suspects down, a SWAT team rushed in and fired shots as well.
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