Project Awesome

[Twin-Skies]

Young, Decorated Officer Ended Nursing Home Shooting Rampage
http://www.zimbio.com/Officer+Justin+Gar...rsing+Home

The small-town police officer who ended a fatal shooting rampage at a North Carolina nursing home was described as a clean-cut outdoorsman by locals thankful he stayed on his hometown force rather than pursuing a career with the highway patrol.

Officer Justin Garner

Master Officer Justin Garner was being hailed as a hero a day after he forged into the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center in Carthage without waiting for backup to stop a man who shot and killed eight people inside.

"If that's not heroism, I don't know what is," said Police Chief Chris McKenzie, who later added: "You can train all you want to, but it comes down to whether you have what it takes."

Garner, 25, grew up in the Carthage area like most of the town's 18-officer police force, said McKenzie, who's also a native. Garner, who is married, has been on the force for less than five years but already has been honored as the town's Officer of the Year.

Glad to know not all cops out there are idiots