Dan's brother is a Sergeant with the Virginia Highway Patrol, and earlier this week he responded to a call regarding a "be on the lookout" for a person who (at that time) was suspected of killing his wife that day. The alleged felon worked for the Franklin County Virginia Sheriff's office which made his apprehension even more urgent. Dan's brother spotted the car with the suspect driving and pulled him over. In the process, the trooper was shot in the leg, and the shooter fled, followed by other law enforcement personnel who later got into a gun battle themselves, seriously wounding the suspect. Meanwhile, Dan's brother had been taken to a nearby medical facility where he was cared for...soon to be joined by Dan and other family members.
What this story is all about is the dedication of our law enforcement personnel...and their comrades in public service in fire departments all across the nation. They are there every day, all doing their jobs professionally...except for a bad apple from time to time, such as the shooter in this case. What I saw first hand, however, was how everyone quickly came together as events transpired, and afterwards. They were "one."
The Franklin County shooter is now lying with several shots in his chest, in a hospital bed in Virginia. If he survives, he will soon move behind bars where he belongs. Dan's brother, on the other hand will eventually return to his job, protecting us all daily as best he can. Law enforcement and fire department personnel are at the top of my list of heroes...certainly equal in stature to those who serve in the military.
