NYPD officers honored for helping students to safety during U-Haul rampage
NEW YORK -- Three NYPD officers were honored Tuesday for their efforts to bring dozens of school children to safety during last month's deadly U-Haul rampage in Brooklyn.
In bodycam video, you can hear the urgency in NYPD Officer Hector Santini's voice as he raced toward a group of children to get them out of the street, and harm's way.
"Let's go, let's go," he said. "Inside the school, inside the school."
The safety of the Bay Ridge Prep students is all he, Officer Frank Ingebrethsen and Lt. John Vitale could thinking about after learning a man was driving a U-Haul truck erratically nearby.
"The truck was parallel, one avenue over, one block over," Vitale said.
"He was driving so erratically that at any given moment he could have made another turn down to this avenue," Ingebrethsen said.
The officers knew the school was taking part in the city's Open Streets program, and that kids would likely be playing outside here.
"What was the first thing that came to your mind when you came here and did see the kids outside?" CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis asked.
"They weren't aware of anything going on, so to me it was getting out as quickly as I can, getting the kids safely out of the street as quickly as possible," Ingebrethsen said.
"Emotions were high. We didn't know which way this guy was going, and priority one was get them in the school, get them out of the street and take them out of harm's way," Vitale said.
The driver never made it that way, but police say in his violent rampage on Feb. 13, he killed one person and injured at least eight others.
Elected officials and school staff praised the officers for their quick thinking and heroic actions, honoring them with awards Tuesday in a ceremony at the school.
"Know you have the gratitude of New York," Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.
"I was so appreciative not only of what happened that day, but I'm appreciative of all the work that went in beforehand to prepare these officers for that situation," said Charles Fasano of Bay Ridge Prep.
"Having cops that really know their neighborhood is what allowed this miracle really to happen," said New York City Councilmember Justin Brannan.
"What incredible quick thinking and smart thinking to know there's a problem somewhere in this neighborhood, we don't know what's going on, but we know there are people who are in harm's way, potentially in harm's way, and we're going to just do what we can to protect them and keep them safe," State Sen. Andrew Gounardes said.
"I think anyone would have done the same thing in our position. We strive to serve the community every day," Ingebrethsen said.
That's what community policing is all about.
The suspect in the case is due back in court on March 16. Charges include murder, attempted murder, and assault.