President Donald Trump awarded 12 Americans the Medal of Valor Tuesday, including six heroes who responded to the 2015 San Bernardino shooting.
(Left to right) Donald Trump presents the Public Safety Medal of Valor to San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Chad Johnson, San Bernardino Police Department Detective Brian Olvera, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Shaun Wallen, Detective Bruce Southworth, Corporal Rafael Ixco and Redlands Police Department Officer Nicholas Koahou during an award ceremony at the East Room of the White House on Feb. 20, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Trump heralded the recipients for their service and sacrifice before awarding them the medal, the highest possible decoration for bravery by public safety officers.
“Through your service and sacrifice we’re reminded that America’s greatest treasure is her people and in your courage, we see America’s strength and in your character, we see America’s soul and today one proud nations says to all of you, thank you,” Trump said from the East Room of the White House.
Among the recipients were six responders to the 2015 San Bernardino workplace shooting that took 14 lives: Deputy Shaun Wallen, Corporal Rafael Ixco, Detective Bruce Southworth, District Attorney Investigator Chad Johnson, Officer Nicholas Koahou and Detective Brian Olvera.
“When terrorists attacked defenseless employees of the San Bernardino Department of Public Health, six of the heroes with us today chased them down and put an end to their sinister rampage which was going to get a lot worse,” Trump said.
Trump honored the officials days after visiting Broward County to honor the victims and first responders of the deadly school shooting last Wednesday in Parkland, Florida.
Others honored included police chief Douglas Schroeder for life-saving actions during a workplace shooting, Lt. William Buchanan and EMT Sean Ochsenbein who saved a man from a burning vehicle and Harbor Patrol Officer David Poirier Jr. who rescued three people from drowning at a California beach.
Trump previously awarded the Medal of Valor to the first responders to the congressional baseball shooting last July outside Washington, which left GOP House Majority Whip Steve Scalise critically injured and several others hurt.
Here’s the full list of recipients honored for exhibiting “great courage and unwavering dedication to serving our country:”
- Deputy Shaun Wallen, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (California) — 11 years of service
- Corporal Rafael Ixco, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (California) — 20 years of service
- Detective Bruce Southworth, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (California) — seven years of service
- District Attorney Investigator Chad Johnson, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office (California) — 17 years of service
- Officer Nicholas Koahou, Redlands Police Department (California) — 10 years of service
- Detective Brian Olvera, San Bernardino Police Department (California) — 13 years of service
- Chief Douglas Schroeder, Hesston Police Department (Kansas) — 21 years of service
- Emergency Medical Technician Sean Ochsenbein, Putnam County Rescue Squad (Tennessee) — 10 years of service
- Lieutenant William Buchanan, Avery County Sheriff’s Office (North Carolina) — 21 years of service
- Firefighter/Harbor Patrol Officer David Poirier Jr., Redondo Beach Fire Department (California) – 25 years of service
- Officer Andrew Hopfensperger Jr., Antigo Police Department (Wisconsin) — nine years of service
- Engineer Stephen Gunn, Peoria Fire-Medical Department (Arizona) — 12 years of service
