Page 45 - February 2020 FOP Magazine

10th District honors its local heroes
When it comes to saving lives, offi- cers in the 10th District don’t only honor their own. They also spotlight members of society who go above and beyond to safeguard the community. On Jan. 15, of- ficers, the chamber president and mem- bers of the community gathered at the local chamber of commerce to recognize three civilians who each played a pivotal role in saving the life of a 7-year-old girl and bringing justice to the suspect who shot her this past Halloween.
Many may recall the gut-wrenching story of young Giselle Zamago, who was trick-or-treating in a Minnie Mouse cos- tume on Oct. 31 when she was acciden- tally shot by a gang member. The media recognized the work of 10th District offi- cers to track down the suspect and sup- port Giselle through her recovery in the hospital, but the part of the story that may not have been told is the efforts of civilians to help save the young girl’s life.
“Sometimes, in an incident like this, it’s the citizens that step forward and do something out of the ordinary to help out and don’t get recognized,” said 10th District Community Policing Sergeant
Ildefonso Lara.
In this incident, it was mobile-store
employees Yulissa Ruiz and Citlalli Lara Garcia who were in the right place at the right time to help the young girl. Ruiz and Garcia were honored at the com- munity award ceremony for their heroic response to the gunshot, which led them to carry Giselle to safety and call 911 while applying pressure to the wound until first responders arrived.
“We presented the two girls with plaques thanking them for their bravery and compassion,” Lara shared. “Because
of them, the little girl is alive. We want- ed to let them know that officers and the community recognize them as heroes.”
Store owner Mike Moreno was also recognized at the ceremony for provid- ing his storefront surveillance, which was crucial in convicting the gunman.
The 10th District gave these heroic civilians a shout-out on its Twitter page with a post that read, “Thank you to you community members who sacrifice ev- ery day to make a difference by backing up their words with taking action and as- sisting in saving lives. True community!”
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