Deputy Mendendorp pulled into a driveway of a house, responding to a family disturbance call. On exiting the marked cruiser, Jack encountered a man on the porch “with a long gun.” Turning to warn his backup unit, a shot rang out. The bullet, the .30-06 variety, crashed into the front fender, just below the driver’s doorpost. The slug exited into the area Mendendorp was standing, knocking him back into the cruiser. The .30-06 fragmented into jagged pieces of metal tearing the deputy’s body and police equipment inside the car. Mendendorp sustained “numerous fragmentation wounds in his upper arms, head and face area.” His Second Chance® vest deterred any serious, or lethal, chest wounds.
We welcome Officer Jack F. Mendendorp, SAVE #186, to The Safariland Group SAVES CLUB®.
