On April 8, 2009, Palm Springs Officer Douglas Rua found himself in a heap of trouble with Mauricio Cruz. The robbery suspect was assaulting Officer Rua with a ceramic pot and trying to grab his gun.
Palm Beach County firefighters were in the middle of a shift change at Rescue Station 31. Captain Edwin O'Berry and others from both the A and B shift saw what was happening and knew they needed to assist the officer.
Rushing to Rua's Aid
Part of the crew went with paramedic Blum Desravins over to help the officer who was being beaten with a gun at that point. O'Berry went the other way to his vehicle to retrieve his handgun.
O'Berry went over a barbed-wire 6-foot fence to get to the officer and his attacker. Another Palm Springs Officer arrived. He and O'Berry ran after Cruz into an alley.
The other firefighters carried the unconscious officer to safety. Rua had a fractured skull and a broken arm. Cruz had taken the officer's weapon and now had leveled it at the secondary officer and O'Berry.
Officer Joseph DeRogatis and O'Berry both fired four rounds into Cruz. O'Berry and other paramedics tended to Cruz's injuries, but he later died.
"My fear was for the officer. He was in a bad situation, we thought he was dead."
Captain O'Berry
Repeat Offender
Cruz had just gotten out of jail four days prior on charges of attacking a Rivera Beach police officer. That attack was ended with the use of a stun gun.
O'Berry had been a firefighter for 20 years and said receiving the police combat cross from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office was an honor. O'Berry is the only non-law enforcement personnel to receive the award.
Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Jerauld said that even though firefighters are trained to save people's lives, not take them, he is happy that Rua was rescued and no one else got hurt.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said, " The firefighter used his firearm and probably saved the officer's life. You just don't expect that."
National Recognition
O'Berry was honored in Washington, D.C., with the Medal of Valor. Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder presented him with the honor.
Biden put the medal on O'Berry, shook his hand, saying, "Tell you what, congratulations. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you."
Rue is still alive because the firefighters came to his rescue and subdued Cruz.
Biden and Holder. I would have puked on both of these cretins. Communist , lying Malcontents, the lot of them. Notice how Biden got his left hand in the rear pocket of the recipient.
This happened in 2009! Why are we just now hearing about it??
We seem to have little good news lately.
Good point!
It's not in the best interest of the of the leftist to show that a legal gum save a,life
Cant believe enough of us were foolish enough to elect this man !
Enough of us weren't foolish enough to elect Creepy Joe. I still say that Pres. Trump won by a landslide and the election was stolen by the democrats and Dominion Voting Systems.
Did you hear today that the audit has found over 40,000 plus illegal votes so far and they are not finished?
I hope there is a way to remove Sleepy Joe.
So why has it taken 11 years to give a hero recognition????
Not a fan of Eric Holder nor Joe Biden! You can bet this was done to put these two in a better light in regards to law enforcement politically back then, and now. The Left are masters at Deception, have all kinds of methods to further their lust for power and greed!
I think the Fireman deserved to be recognized for what he did, it's just too bad that the people presenting the award were who they are! Stan
Fast and Furious/Holder. Kick them when their down. I wonder if he attended the funerals of Americans murdered by Cartels in Mexico with Firearms that he sent there?
This is over 5 years old, BUT, it ended as it should have, criminal dead by citizen's RIGHT to be armed.. I hope the anti's understand how this would have ended had they succeded in removal of citizens RIGHT to be armed. AND, what American citizens will face if the anti's are successful in violating the 2nd amendment, crime will come to their place of business and homes, like never before!
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty!!!!
Vice President Biden? When did we change presidents? Even rotten ones?
WE DID NOT CHANGE SOON ENOUGH I HOPEPEOPLE WAKE UP PRETTY SOON AND REALISE WHAT THOSE THAT VOTED FOR BIDEN HAS DONE TO OUR COUNTRY
Enough of us weren't foolish enough to elect Creepy Joe. I still say that Pres. Trump won by a landslide and the election was stolen by the democrats and Dominion Voting Systems.