Are They Heroes, Or Just Cops Doing Their Jobs?

Ask any cop who’s been in a shootout or other dangerous situation if he/she is a hero, and they’ll probably tell you they were just doing their jobs. Knives, guns, sticks and stones? A police officer runs toward that stuff without giving the weapons or the person holding them a second thought. Why do they do it? Are their actions heroic and  brave, or an act of foolishness and stupidity? Well, there is a certain amount of bravery involved, but cops are trained early on to react instinctively to danger. If not, we’d be attending a lot more funerals with twenty-one gun salutes and bagpipes as background music.

In the days after the police shooting of Ft. Hood mass murderer, Major Hasan, media described Sgt. Kimberly Munley as a hero. They told the world that she alone faced the armed gunman – that she, while gravely wounded by the gunman’s bullets, returned fire, killing Major Hasan.

As it turns out that wasn’t the case at all. Hasan is still alive, Sgt. Munley wasn’t alone, and according to witnesses on the scene, Sgt. Munley was shot and downed and out of the action almost immediately. The witness stated that two police officers, Sgt. Munley and Senior Sgt. Mark Todd, arrived on the scene in separate vehicles, but they ran together toward the building where the gunman was reloading his weapon(s). The two sergeants then shouted their commands of, “Drop your weapon!” Hasan then fired at both officers, who then split up, with Sgt. Todd going left around the building and Sgt. Munley headed to her right. A witness on the scene said Hasan immediately shot Munley several times, which caused her to fall over backward. The witness said it appeared that Sgt. Munley had been hit in the legs and wrists.

Sgt. Munley in her hospital room with Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Sgt. Todd began to backtrack as witnesses told him of Hasan’s movements. When Todd rounded the corner of the building he again came face to face with Hasan. Munley was lying on the ground, wounded. Todd again yelled for Hasan to drop his weapon, but the gunman opened fire on the officer for a second time. That’s when Sgt. Todd returned fire, terminating the threat. Then he kicked the gunman’s weapon out of the way and handcuffed Hasan. The situation was finally over. It had lasted only 45 seconds.

Sgt. Todd initially asked to be kept out of the limelight, stating that the real heroes of that day were the medics who tended to the injured.

Senior Sgt. Mark Todd

When asked about his strategy, Sgt. Todd said he simply relied on his training – to shoot until there is no longer a threat.

Personally, I think all police officers are heroes, and it doesn’t take a shootout to make them one. That’s just part of the job. It’s what they do.

Were these two Killeen Police Department officers brave? Yes indeed.

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