MARYSVILLE — Police officer Brandon Lawrenson was given a Medal of Valor by Police Chief Rick Smith at last week’s City Council meeting for exemplary performance during a standoff in Juneau, Alaska.
Lawrenson was an 11-year veteran of the Juneau Police Department until he was hired by Marysville in 2012. In Juneau, he had been on the SWAT team from 2008. On April 7, 2012, he responded to an incident which turned into an armed standoff.
The suspect, a former police lieutenant and SWAT team member, had multiple firearms and fired an estimated 100 shots at his former colleagues responding to the incident.
During the four-hour standoff, Lawrenson evacuated neighboring homes, including carrying a child and escorting a family through a dark wooded area, and then returned to the scene under fire.
The suspect was arrested, and no one was hurt in the standoff, Smith said.
“We’re happy to have you,” Smith told Lawrenson.
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