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Dayton Officers Awarded Medal Of Valor At White House Ceremony

Over a month after the August 4 mass shooting, many Dayton businesses are still displaying signs of appreciation for the Dayton Police Department.
Jerry Kenney
/
WYSO
Over a month after the August 4 mass shooting, many Dayton businesses are still displaying signs of appreciation for the Dayton Police Department.

Police officers who killed the gunman responsible for a mass shooting in the Oregon District last month were honored in a White House ceremony on Monday.

At the event, President Trump praised the six police officers, saying they displayed “nerves of steel” during the attack that left nine people dead and dozens more injured. The officers shot and killed the gunman before he could enter Ned Peppers bar, less than 30 seconds after the  attack began.

“Millions of Americans saw the video footage of these officers calmly charging forward in the midst of chaos and constant fire without a thought for their own safety.”

Trump said the officers saved countless lives. Sgt. William C. Knight and Officers Brian Rolfes, Vincent Carter, Jeremy Campbell, Ryan Nabel, David Denlinger were all awarded the Medal of Valor, the highest honor given to public safety officers in the U.S.

In a statement, Dayton Police Department said they are "incredibly proud and honored" to share in the officers' recognition.  

"We are deeply grateful for all of the love, support and recognition we have received from members of our community, our country, and from around the world in response to these officers' heroic and selfless service on August 4, 2019."        

Trump also commended five civilians who he said risked their lives to save others during a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, hours before the attack in Dayton. 

Six Dayton Police officers were honored at the White House on September 9.
Credit Dayton Police Department
Six Dayton Police officers were honored at the White House on September 9.

Copyright 2019 WYSO

April Laissle is a graduate of Ohio University and comes to WYSO from WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio where she worked as a weekend host and reporter. There, she reported on everything from food insecurity to 4-H chicken competitions. April interned at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she focused on health reporting. She also worked on The Broad Experience, a New-York based podcast about women and workplace issues. In her spare time, April loves traveling, trying new recipes and binge-listening to podcasts. April is a Florida native and has been adjusting to Ohio weather since 2011.