VALOROUS MERIT AWARD SILVER AWARD

OnMay 2, 2022, off-duty Prince William County Fire Fighter Josh Owens and off-duty Pentagon Force Protection Agency Officer Jonathan Rubach were each attending their son’s football games at Louise A. Benton Middle School when shots rang out adjacent to the field. Both quickly ushered their families to safety and without thinking twice, perilously ran back to the field to check for injuries. Technician II Owens arrived to find Officer Rubach and an unknown nurse already assisting an injured person. A gunshot wound was found to the patient’s abdomen by Officer Rubach. Technician II Owens insisted on checking for additional wounds, finding another gunshot wound to the patient’s right upper back.

At the direction of Officer Rubach, a first aid kit was retrieved. Both men immediately applied dressings and pressure to the patient’s wounds. Prince William County Police Officer Courtney Houpt responded to the scene with a trauma kit in hand and was directed by community members to the location of the victim. Officer Houpt retrieved two chest seals from her trauma kit and placed one seal on the lower abdomen of the victim, while Technician II Owens assisted by placing the second seal on the victim’s upper back.