SAVES #1829 and #1830
On October 14, 2012 members of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team arrived at a home in response to a hostage situation. The suspect was armed with a .30-30 rifle and had already shot and killed a male subject at the outset of the incident. He was holding four female hostages ranging in age from 11 to 63 years old. Attempts to negotiate with the suspect were unproductive and met with threats to do harm to the hostages, deputies and himself. It was determined that the best chance for the hostages was a rescue attempt. Following an explosive breach of the door, SWAT team members made entry. The suspect began firing at both the deputies and hostages. Although two entry team members were hit, they continued to press forward into the gun fire and were able to wound and disable the suspect. All hostages were rescued with the 11-year old having taken one hit to the leg from the suspect. She was treated and released from the hospital and is doing fine.
Master Deputy Jeff Maxwell was shot in the left leg and a second round glanced off his patrol rifle and hit his PROTECH® FAVTM MK II armor with SM01 IIIA ballistics within an inch of his neck. According to reports from the agency, “The injury that would have resulted from that wound probably would have been fatal had the round not been stopped by his body armor.” Deputy Maxwell is recovering well from the injury to his leg.
Deputy Brad Grice was hit in the left arm on his PROTECH FAV MK II with SM01 IIIA ballistics bicep protector causing blunt trauma. Although not rated for this round, the bullet was ultimately stopped by the body armor. In the letter from his lieutenant it states, “I believe the body armor saved his arm, and more importantly, it kept the round from passing into his chest and wounding him fatally.” After a brief stay at the hospital, Deputy Grice was re- leased to recover at home.
We welcome Master Deputy Jeff Maxwell SAVE #1829 and Deputy Brad Grice SAVE #1830 to the Safariland® SAVES CLUB®.
