Timothy Strohmeyer honored for heroics in stopping Jeffrey Lee Michal after shooting VIDEO
A Pennsylvania State Trooper was honored with one of the highest awards in law enforcement for the actions he took to stop a man during a deadly shooting spree in December.
Timothy Strohmeyer heroically rammed his cruiser into the truck of Jeffrey Lee Michael, who had killed two of his neighbors, shot a woman in a church and was now turning his sights on a fellow officer.
The two other victims have been identified as William Harrison Rhodes Jr., 38, and his father-in-law, Kenneth Lynn
Trooper Timothy Strohmeyer and Trooper David Navaruk each sped to the scene, they passed Michael in his pick-up truck heading the opposite direction. He fired shots into both police cruisers, and broken glass flew into Navaruk’s face, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.
Strohmeyer and Navaruk turned their cruisers around and gave chase, hoping to catch up with the fleeing suspect.
Trooper Kevin Campbell was approaching Michael from the opposite direction. Upon seeing Campbell, Michael “accelerated his truck and intentionally rammed Corporal Campbell’s patrol car head-on,” trapping Campbell inside his own cruiser, according to the state police.
ABC News obtained dashcam footage from the incident showing Strohmeyer’s attempt to divert attention away from the vulnerable Campbell.
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Strohmeyer’s cruiser can be seen on video approaching the collided cars. Hoping to divert attention away from his trapped colleague, Strohmeyer rammed his own cruiser into the back of Michael’s truck, state police said.
Strohmeyer’s plan worked. Michael can be seen on video charging Strohmeyer’s cruiser with his gun drawn and firing. Eight bullets ripped through Strohmeyer’s windshield, as shown in a photograph obtained by ABC News. Strohmeyer was hit several times in the chest and left wrist.
Strohmeyer was wearing a bulletproof vest and survived. Michael was killed by the troopers’ returning gunfire.
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