On November 12, 2016, Senior Officer Arn Salao of the Anchorage Police Department was responding to a cab defraud call with other officers. He received the suspect’s description and began searching the area. Officer Salao located the suspect about a block from the call, walking down the sidewalk. Officer Salao called out twice to get the suspect’s attention. The suspect then turned and opened fire from less than 8 feet away with a 357 Magnum.
Officer Salao was in the process of exiting his patrol car when the gunfight started. One of the first 3 shots from the assailant struck Officer Salao near the left hip, severing his femur. Officer Salao began to return fire as he fell to the ground. The assailant advanced and continued to shoot Officer Salao. The assailant moved over the top of Officer Salao, straddling his legs. Officer Salao grabbed the barrel of the suspect’s firearm to avoid being shot in the face. Officer Salao continued to return fire even as the suspect grabbed his wrist.
A K-9 Sergeant arrived and returned fire at the assailant, who was fatally wounded. Officer Salao’s Safariland® SM01 IIIA worn in an M1 carrier stopped one of the rounds to his abdomen. Officer Salao was hit with all six rounds, five of them off the armor, and spent 10 days in the hospital.
Senior Officer Salao has returned to full duty.
We welcome Senior Officer Arn Salao as SAVE #2257 to The Safariland Group Saves Club®.
