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Life Saving Incident

November 18, 2015
Michigan
Berrien County
Benton Township

Two members of the Michigan State Police were honored for rescuing a hostage during a shooting at a Benton Township hotel. Sergeant Brian Keely of the Rockford post and Trooper Carlos Fossati of the Wayland post were awarded the MSP Bravery Award for going above and beyond the normal expectations for law enforcement. On November 18, 2015, Sergeant Keely and Trooper Fossati were trying to track down the man who had kidnapped his estranged wife at gunpoint from the assisted living facility where she worked. Michigan State Police eventually located the 44-year-old suspect at a motel. Investigators then negotiated with the suspect by cellphone for more than 30 minutes before the MSP SWAT team heard a single gunshot in the hotel room and forced their way inside. As officers breeched the door, the suspect fired on the team, striking Sergeant Keely in his bulletproof vest. Despite the gunfire, Sergeant Keely and Trooper Fossati rushed into the room and rescued the woman. They returned fire neutralizing the suspect. Troopers discovered the wife had also been shot by the suspect however she sustained non life threatening wounds. In an official news release, the MSP stated, “In awarding the department’s Bravery Award, the Michigan State Police Board of Awards found that the courageous and heroic actions of Sergeant Keely and Trooper Fossati undoubtedly saved the woman’s life.”

The history of law enforcement in the United States is a long and wonderful history of bravery. This website is dedicated to documenting the heroic deeds of law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have either given or risked their lives to save others. There are many stories of bravery and heroism for many who are considered first responders. However, it is those in law enforcement who are most likely to be the first to arrive upon a location requiring life saving acts engaging dangerous hostage takers, running into burning buildings/vehicles, providing first aid to seriously injured victims, saving near drowning victims and much more are what the women and men of law enforcement do routinely and at many times, great peril to their own safety.
It is our mission to document the history of lives saved by those dedicated women and men in law enforcement. To share with others the dramatic deeds of those individuals who are the first, first responders. It is so important for our citizens to understand that law "enforcement" is not always about enforcing the law but rather being there when our citizens need us.
It is to this end we are dedicated to promoting documentation regarding the history of law enforcement and the lives they have saved.