Governor Mike Parson awarded Missouri Public Safety Medals to 11 first responders and six civilians the morning of Tuesday, October 13th for heroic and life-saving actions during 2019.
Recipients of the Public Safety Civilian Award were Jason Gamm, Rick Shannon, and Wesley Teague. The Trenton Police Department nominated them for their action when Officer Jasmine Diab was shot in the abdomen while transporting a prisoner for a mental health evaluation on June 14th, 2019, and the prisoner was shot in the hand during a struggle. The prisoner allegedly tried to take control of the vehicle and attempted to drive away from the scene.
Gamm and Shannon heard a gunshot. Shannon is said to have retrieved a gun from his vehicle and gave it to Gamm. Gamm and Teague approached the rear of the police vehicle, and Gamm managed to pull the prisoner from the vehicle. Teague grabbed the prisoner’s legs with his arms, and Shannon assisted in holding him to the ground. The three civilians held the prisoner until law enforcement arrived and took him into custody.
Diab was hospitalized and continues to recover. A news release from the Office of the Governor says if Gamm, Shannon, and Teague had not acted without concern for their own safety, Diab might have been killed.
Parson called the citizens honored “inspirational” and said, “they willingly faced incredible dangers to protect law enforcement and members of the public.”
