Walgreens Employee, Customer Honored For Assisting Two Chicago Police Officers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two men who went above and beyond to help arrest a dangerous suspect received a special honor Tuesday from the board of the Chicago Police Memorial Fund.
But as CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports, the men are not police officers.
On Valentine's Day, officer Mark Czapla stopped at an Andersonville Walgreens to buy a card for his wife.
"The employees from the parking lot informed us that the subject just stole some merchandise," Czapla said.
Thomas Thompson resisted as the officers attempted to arrest him.
"He started to punch me and my partner," Czapla said.
As Czapla and his partner officer Joseph Groh struggled with the suspect in the parking lot he managed to take one of the officer's guns out of its holster and fired a shot.
"The gun was pointed at us," Czapla said. "He missed both of us amazingly."
"I thought my life was definitely in danger," said Groh.
That's when Walgreens employee Ray Robinson and customer Zet Smith knew they had to help.
"I knew they were already hurt and tired so they really needed help," said Robinson.
"I could see that the suspect was still trying to get up, so that's when just I decided to take his legs out from under him," Smith.
With their help, the officers were able to get the gun away from Thompson and arrest him.
Today Robinson and Smith were honored for their bravery, with both officers calling them heroes.
Officer Groh says if the two men hadn't stepped in, "I may not be here today to tell the story."
Thompson was charged with two felony counts of attempted first-degree murder. The officers say Thompson pulled the trigger at least three more times after that first shot, but luckily the magazine had fallen out of the gun, so it did not fire.
The officers say they're bonded for life with their Good Samaritans, and Czapla says the incident taught him one light-hearted lesson.
"That is the last time I'll wait until the very last day to buy Valentine's Day card or any card for that matter," said Czapla.
It's nice that they can laugh about it now, but the officers say it was truly a life or death struggle.
Thompson was charged with attempted murder. The officers say Thompson pulled the trigger at least three more times after that first shot, but the magazine had fallen out of the gun, so it didn't fire.