By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — When he answered a call to duty, Cpl. Michael Wheeler did not know the situation would quickly turn dangerous. Fortunately, Mount Vernon resident Dylan DeBoard was in the right place at the right time. In honor of DeBoard’s selfless act of bravery, Wheeler presented DeBoard with the Citizen’s Award of Valor during Monday night’s council meeting.
“I truly believe that Mr. DeBoard deserves some type of recognition for his selfless act,” Wheeler wrote in a letter to Police Chief Roger Monroe. “I will personally always be indebted to Mr. DeBoard for being at the right place at the right time and without hesitation getting involved in a situation that he very well could have walked away from.”
On June 10, 2015 Wheeler responded to a call about a suspicious male. On arrival, he found the suspect agitated, disoriented and under the influence of some type of drug. When he tried to subdue the suspect, the incident escalated.
“I have been in many physical altercations in my 14+ years on the department, and I have never had a subject get on top of me, but somehow XXXX did. I have never truly felt fear in my over 14+ years on the department, but I did at that moment when I realized that XXXX was attempting to get control of my firearm,” Wheeler wrote in his recommendation letter. “I quickly realized that for once in my career I was not able to gain control of this subject that was trying to take my weapon. I reverted to just keeping him in close to my body so it would restrict his movement until help could arrive.
“I was not able to radio for backup because my radio mic had been knocked off my shoulder during the fight, yet another attribute to this incident that heightened my fear that I may not walk away from this.
“While I was still trying to hold XXXXX close to me and figure out my other options, XXXX suddenly stopped resisting and put his hands up. I had no idea at this point why until I looked up toward the direction XXXX was looking and I saw a male subject pointing a gun at us. Once again my heart stopped; because of the area I was in, I had no idea if this gun was intended for me or not.”
It was at that point that DeBoard stated his name and that he had a concealed carry weapons permit. He ordered the suspect to stop, and Wheeler regained control of the situation and handcuffed the suspect.
“There is not a day goes by since that day in June that I don’t believe that Mr. DeBoard saved my life or saved me from serious harm. I truly believe that XXXXX would have inflicted serious physical harm or even killed me had he been able to gain control of my weapon,” Wheeler wrote.
“I didn’t expect to be recognized for something that seemed right at the time,” DeBoard said after accepting the award. “I’m glad I could be there.”
“I thank God for this man,” said Wheeler.
Noting the public’s overwhelming support for the Mount Vernon Police Department, Monroe said, “This gentleman went above and beyond what we would expect a citizen to do.”
Monroe said the department’s job is to keep residents safe through proper equipment, using available resources, applying training and using teamwork to avoid being outnumbered and outmatched. “We don’t wear capes, none of us have an S on our chest, but sometimes with all of the equipment, training and resources, we can still be in a situation that we know is a losing battle. But we’re not taught to retreat; we move forward so you don’t have to. So when one of us goes down… it hits us all,” he said. “In this instance, it was not equipment resources, or training that saved an officer from possible death but his will to fight and an unexpected surprise.”
