On the evening of March 28, 2016, Officers Garrett Brooks and John Carlyle had just started their watch when they heard a loud explosion. They saw a plume of smoke coming from a nearby intersection and quickly drove over, where they saw that a five car collision had taken place. A Mercedes Benz had struck an MTA bus, rendering both vehicles immobile and causing the Mercedes to catch fire with both the driver and passenger still buckled inside and incapacitated by the impact. Without regard for their own safety, both officers rushed in to remove the occupants of the Mercedes. Officer Brooks radioed for help, while Officer Carlyle assessed the situation and directed Officer Brooks to remove the driver while he went to get the passenger. Officer Carlyle opened the door behind the passenger and tried to remove her from the car, but she was still belted in her seat. He smashed open the window with the handle of his knife. He cut the seatbelt, but both of her legs were pinned by the dashboard. By this time, smoke and fire started to come through the firewall of the Mercedes and began to engulf the front passenger compartment. Officer Carlyle ripped away part of the dashboard to free her legs. She was successfully freed from her seat and carried away from the fire with the help of an unknown citizen. Meanwhile, Officer Brooks was attempting to remove the driver who still had his seatbelt on, was unable to move on his own, and whose legs had become engulfed by the fire and were burning. A citizen at the scene used Officer Brooks’ knife to cut the seatbelt so Officer Brooks could pull the driver out from the window. They then carried the driver away from the fire. At this point, the bus caught fire and the natural gas tanks on top of the bus became engulfed in flames and exploded. The officers used their bodies to shield both occupants from the blast and debris. Officer Carlyle then moved the black and white to use as a shield against the fire and further explosions. The officers carried the driver and the passenger behind the car, comforted them, and stayed with them until the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived and relieved them. Both officers suffered mild smoke inhalation, abrasions, and lacerations, but their heroic actions saved the occupants’ lives. For performing an act displaying extreme courage while consciously facing imminent peril, both officers were awarded the Medal of Valor