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Medal of Valor to be presented to two Lower Swatara Township Police Officers

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– The Medal of Valor will be presented to two Patrol Officers on Wednesday night after their acts of courage during a reported burglary...
Police patrol car with sirens off during a traffic control. Blue and red flashing sirens of police car during the roadblock in the city.

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– The Medal of Valor will be presented to two Patrol Officers on Wednesday night after their acts of courage during a reported burglary turned shooting in October 2019.

District Attorney Fran Chardo will present the Medal of Valor to Patrol Officers Timothy Shea and Joshua Malott of the Lower Swatara Township Police Department on Wednesday night at the Lower Swatara Township Board of Commissioners Meeting at 7:00 p.m. That meeting is held at the Lower Swatara Township Building at 1499 Spring Garden Drive in Middletown.

The award stems from the officers’ actions when responding to a burglary in progress on October 14, 2019.

Upon arrival at the scene, Shea and Malott found glass on the sliding door of the trailer to have been shattered.

Due to officers not having the indication of any involvement of weapons from the call, they only drew their tasers, and not their firearms when entering the trailer.

Authorities say that when Shea and Malot reached the rear of the trailer, they found Andrew Park, holding a female victim against her will.

Lower Swatara Township Police Chief Jeff Vargo said that is when Park opened fire on the officers.

One of the shots struck Officer Shea in the leg, and authorities say that Officer Malott positioned himself between Park and Shea while they moved to cover.

Police say that Officer Shea applied a tourniquet to himself and continued to perform his duties by assisting the victim.

They were able to retreat with the victim from the residence, while Park barricaded himself inside.

Vargo said it took several hours and the assistance of the Dauphin County Crisis Response Team to get Park to exit the residence. He now faces attempted murder charges.

“These were heroic efforts by these officers,” said Chief Jeffery Vargo of Shea and Mallot. “They ran towards gunfire to evacuate her from the residence.”

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