- Chicago police Sgt. Jason Kaczynski and Officer Kimberly Thorp were on desk duty, both recovering from medical issues, when the sound of gunfire ripped through the police facility on 61st Street last July.
Thorp was outside first. She spotted another officer taking cover behind a squad car, then she took aim at the gun-wielding man advancing toward her amid a spray of bullets.
Close behind, with weapon drawn, Kaczynski fired several shots as he passed through the station's open door, striking the gunman in the chest.
What the two officers did not realize immediately was that Officer Thor Soderberg had been mortally wounded in the parking lot moments earlier. The man they encountered outside the facility was Bryant Brewer, who was charged with Soderberg's murder and is awaiting trial.
There really ought to be a listing of all the recognized winners along with a narrative of their actions. That by itself would be a morale booster. In any event, congrats to all the awardee,