Scott Grunhurd – heroic police officer – Brief Article
Officer Scott Grunhurd of the Bellingham, Washington, Police Department was dispatched to a 911 hang-up call. After arriving at the residence, Officer Grunhurd saw a man walking in the apartment, but the individual would not respond to the knocks on the door. The officer did not know that the resident was hearing impaired, suicidal, and had doused the apartment and himself with lamp oil. The resident also had arranged several butcher knives in the couch cushions and planned to throw himself on the blades as he ignited his residence. When Officer Grunhurd observed flames coming from the back of the couch, he radioed for assistance and attempted to enter the apartment, but the front door was blocked by a large piece of furniture. Officer Grunhurd was able to move the obstruction to gain entry to the apartment, extinguish the fire, and control the suicidal individual until additional assistance arrived. Officer Grunhurd’s quick response not only saved the individual’s life but prevented a potential fire in the apartment, which could have endangered other occupants.
COPYRIGHT 1999 Federal Bureau of Investigation
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
