SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA — Not even a week after a tragic act of terrorism took the lives of 14 people at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, stories of heroism were already coming to surface.
One fantastic example emerged from a cell phone video taken by one of the workers in that building. A lone, unidentified San Bernardino deputy bravely lead 50 workers out of the building where 14 had just been slaughtered. Keep in mind, at this time, officers did not know the location or whereabouts of the shooters. It was still considered an active shooting scenario and a perimeter was just forming. Some officers who were first on the scene bravely charged in and looked to save life and hopefully neutralize the threat.
Obviously, moving a frightened group of unarmed civilians out of an active shooting situation takes a great deal of patience and direction. When the workers worried about following him, he said:
via NYPost
“I’ll take the bullet before you do, that’s for damn sure,” the deputy tells the group of almost 50 workers as he directs them through a hallway in the building where 14 people were slaughtered.
Outside, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and law enforcement from multiple agencies were setting up their perimeter and trying to evacuate innocent civilians safely away.
It’s a small moment of heroism that sometimes gets lost in all the tragedy. The San Bernardino Inland Regional Center mass shooting is being defined currently as an act of terrorism and is being investigated by the FBI.
According to the New York Post, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department has not identified the deputy seen in this cell phone video, though there is clearly a high amount of respect for his service and bravery.
“Oh, yes, we know all about the video,” a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said, pride in her voice, when The Post asked about the clip.
The deputy’s identity had not been released as of Thursday evening.
All 50 workers were safely evacuated without incident. Good job, officer.