On the night of March 7, 2003, I worked an overtime shift as a patrol sergeant for the Ukiah (Calif.) Police Department. Riding-along with me was a 17-year-old high school student and uniformed police cadet, Julian Covella. A little before 2130 hrs, we responded to a call concerning a female shoplifter at the local Wal-Mart. I parked my marked patrol car in the front lot, and Covella and I entered the store.
The store manager directed us to the security office in the back of the store, where two security guards detained the suspect, 18-year-old Monica Winnie. She had fraudulently returned a duffel bag (valued at $29) to the store for cash. The security guards told me a male accomplice, wearing a brown bomber jacket and identifiable by tattoos on his neck, was waiting outside the store. After taking custody of Winnie, I escorted her to my patrol unit, Covella following. I asked the security guards to locate the accomplice and direct him to me. Winnie told me the accomplice, her boyfriend, had no weapons and that I had no reason to be concerned about my safety. Later, the accomplice was identified as 35-year-old Neal Beckman.
There Is No Routine Call
After I secured Winnie in the backseat of the patrol car, suspect Beckman confronted me in the parking lot. He asked me why his girlfriend was in the car. I intended to evaluate Beckman for drug influence and interview him about his role in the theft. Beckman s hands were shoved in his jacket pockets. When I asked him to remove them, he said he had a knife, and then began to remove his left hand from his jacket pocket.
Winnie began screaming. I closed the distance between Beckman and myself, taking control of Beckman s left arm and putting it in a control hold, which positioned me shoulder-to-shoulder with him. At the same time, Beckman managed to remove a .38-caliber five-shot revolver with his right hand from his right jacket pocket. He reached across his chest and over his left shoulder, and shot the first round through my head. The bullet went through my left cheek and exited the back of my neck, millimeters away from my spine. We struggled onto a vehicle and then to the ground, while Beckman continued to fire his gun. All four remaining rounds struck me; my soft body armor ultimately stopped two potentially fatal rounds. I took two shots to my left front and rear torso. Another round struck me in my mid-back, the bullet fracturing my scapula and narrowly missing my spine. The fifth shot, to my right biceps, shattered the humerus, destroying muscle tissue and causing paralysis to my entire right arm. My left hand was physically ripped apart roughly two inches between the middle and index fingers during the life-and-death struggle.
The security guard intervened to save my life, but Beckman brutally stabbed him in the left side of his chest and shoulder area. Beckman then ran to my patrol unit, entering the front passenger side of the car. He did not intend to release his girlfriend, but to retrieve the fully automatic H&K .223 or Remington 870 from my unit.
The Will to Survive
I was now kneeling, my butt resting against my heels, in the dimly lit Wal-Mart parking lot a stall-and-a-half away from my patrol car. I looked down and saw my badge thickly covered with my own blood. My chest, shoulders and arms were also covered in blood. I knew I d been shot multiple times and in the face, that my right arm was paralyzed and my left hand torn apart. I thought, I m bleeding to death, but I have to stop the suspect.
I saw people running in the parking lot. Wal-Mart was still open, and public safety remained a concern. Besides my own safety, I was concerned for the safety of the teenage cadet, who had taken cover nearby, and the security guard, who lay in the parking lot bleeding to death. I thought if I didn t stop the suspect, he d kill us or anyone else in the parking lot.
I couldn t pull my .40-caliber Beretta with either hand because of my injuries. I called for Covella to come to my side, asking him to remove my weapon and place it into my injured left hand. Aiming at Beckman in the patrol car, I fired my perfectly functioning gun four times before stopping him. Beckman was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
At this point, I felt close to losing consciousness, knowing I needed to slow down my breathing and lower my blood pressure; otherwise, I d bleed out and die. I directed Covella to radio dispatch, notifying officer down, and to use my flashlight to summon emergency personnel when they arrived on scene. Using a controlled breathing exercise, I slowed down my heart rate. Moments later, I heard the many sirens.
Spouse s Perspective
My wife, Stephanie, best describes what happened in the hours and days to follow: Friends stayed with our son and daughter while I waited to hear from the doctor at the hospital. Two officers from our police association came to talk to me. We discussed a few facts about the incident, the investigation, attorneys, interviews that Marcus would have to give, items booked as evidence and the bad guy s family. I didn t realize thoughts of retaliation were already looming. It was overwhelming, and yet, this was just the beginning.
My sister and I stood by Marcus side while a flood of doctors and nurses poked and prodded him, and the puddles of blood around him just kept getting bigger. He hadn t been given medications yet because of the gunshot wound to his head and his blood loss. I tried to talk to him without being emotional, even though it was killing me inside to see him flat on his back and in pain. Well, I assumed he was in pain because he was shot up, but he never complained. Every time I turned my attention away from him lying there, I d look up toward the foot of the bed to see a sea of law enforcement officers. I d never seen so many different uniforms milling around in such a tight area. One officer didn t leave his side. I kept thinking, He can go now. Later, I found out that when something like this happens, an officer is assigned to stay with his injured brother.
As Marcus was being prepped for surgery, he asked me to go find Julian, the cadet. I promised I would tell Julian that he was very brave, Marcus was proud of him and that Julian saved Marcus life.
There are hundreds of decisions to make after your husband is injured, and you don t have much time to make them. Without even realizing it, you re being pulled between hospital staff, law enforcement, visitors, family, friends and your own sense of duty to your family. I needed to protect my kids and my husband, not only physically but emotionally as well. But the investigation still loomed overhead.
The Aftermath
Neal Beckman was an affiliated gang member who had spent significant time in prison. At the time of the incident, he was wanted for felony charges associated with a home-invasion robbery. That night, Beckman was armed with a stolen and fully loaded .38-caliber five-shot revolver, a hunting knife and five explosive devices.
Because the security guard and Covella courageously risked their lives to save my own, I am alive today. They both received numerous awards, including the Carnegie Hero s Medal. Since the incident, Covella was hired as a police officer for the Ukiah Police Department, and currently attends the basic police academy.
Lessons Learned
In the three years since the incident I ve presented my experience to numerous law enforcement audiences, focusing on the following learning points:
Mental Preparation
Before beginning your shift, mentally prepare yourself with a goal of returning home, regardless of the circumstances. Although shot five times, I continued fighting until I stopped the suspect. Never give up the fight.
Value the Ride-Along
Communicate with your ride-alongs about theoretical possibilities because they may be forced into a situation to save your life. Although the 17-year-old cadet had not trained to remove a handgun from a holster, his brave actions were imperative for our survival.
Backup
Because no other units were available that night, I neglected to call for assistance before confronting the second suspect, Beckman. Knowing there was a second suspect involved, who was described as a possible parolee type, I could have called an allied agency for assistance. The security guard and police cadet came to my assistance. Never underestimate the value of brave citizens around you.
Tactics
Because of my close proximity to the suspect, I instinctively closed the distance to control the suspect s movements. If my distance were greater, I would have moved to a position of cover, removed my sidearm, ordered the suspect to turn around and slowly remove his hands from his pockets, directed him into a felony prone position and called for backup. Regardless, I would have been at a greater advantage by having the suspect turn around before asking him to remove his hands from his jacket pockets.
Ongoing Training
Regularly train to exceed the minimum departmental and state requirements for use-of-force knowledge and skills (e.g., communications, weaponless defense, chemical agents, impact weapons, electronic devices and firearms). Without practice, your proficiency will likely diminish in time. In high-stress situations, you will likely use skills most familiar to you. Most people instinctively perform techniques they have practiced countless times.
OIS Investigation
Familiarize yourself with all aspects of an officer-involved-shooting (OIS) investigation, which may include evidence collection. During my incident, an investigation was conducted by the Department of Justice, district attorney s office, my agency and an insurance company. Multiple agencies were involved in the initial response and investigation. Unless there are exigent circumstances in the interest of public safety, have legal representation before beginning the interview process. Upon arrival at the hospital, I asked the emergency room nurse to take two blood samples for drug and alcohol screening. All of my duty gear and clothing, except my briefs, were seized as evidence. Prepare your family members to know what to expect in the event of an OIS or off-duty confrontation.
Debriefing
The debriefing process should involve all those affected during the critical incident (e.g., police officers, emergency responders, dispatchers, supervisors, administrators and family members). Take the necessary time to heal physically and mentally. Our mission to survive in law enforcement should go beyond our career into the retirement years. It s imperative we learn from our experiences to share with others in law enforcement.
Why I Survived
My faith in God gave me the strength to survive during and after the incident, including five subsequent surgeries and rehabilitation. I am forever grateful for the ongoing support from my family, fellow peace officers, department, medical professionals, community and our greater law enforcement family.
Over the course of my career, inspirational trainers, motivational speakers, defensive-tactics instructors, range masters and martial artists have challenged me spiritually, physically and mentally. These people were instrumental to my survival. Great trainers taught me the importance of lifelong learning, staying calm under pressure, resourcefulness and how to fight regardless of the circumstances.
Quite simply, I was taught to fight through pain and never give up.
Marcus Young is a 20-year veteran of law enforcement. He is a graduate student in counseling psychology at the University of San Francisco and the Administration of Justice coordinator at Mendocino College. During separate events, President George W. Bush and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger awarded Young with a Medal of Valor. He received Officer of the Year awards from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Rifle Association, American Police Hall of Fame, and Ukiah Police Department. For the last three years, Young has presented his story of survival free of charge to audiences in eight states, including the following organizations: ASLET, CNOA, DEA, FLETC, IALEFI, ITOA, NCGIA, NRA and USF. Contact him at [email protected].
In the words of a police psychologist, Dr. Lawrence Blum
Marcus had engaged in a number of habits that empowered him. He challenged himself in martial arts. Mediocrity was not good enough for him in his value system. Just being an OK cop was never good enough for him. He demanded that he strive for excellence, and so he began to master habits of effective tactics. There s a term called munen muso, which means, mind without worldly designs. In this highest state of a warrior, you don t have to think about doing it. You re such an expert that you adapt in real-time to total ambush situations with a purposeful action that you have trained for. The habits that Marcus developed over time taught his brain to become purposeful and calm in the face of hard stress. I believe his martial arts training assisted him in that regard.
But as he was shot, Marcus thinking brain shut down for a moment. There s a gap in there Marcus doesn t remember, and that s because his thinking brain was going to delay him or was going to say, Ohmigod, I m shot five times! This is a horrifying wound. Many police officers have died because they ve experienced the psychology of defeat when the brain perceives the wound is too much, and the brain shuts the body down. It literally goes into what is called parasympathetic shutdown, and the officer loses the ability to combat that physiologically. Marcus brain, on the other hand, without even thinking about what to do, did precisely what it took to survive, and that was the test. It wasn t to perform perfectly in tactics. It was Get out of this alive, and this is the critical point. Marcus never stopped thinking, never stopped moving and never stopped changing his positions of disadvantage until he extinguished the threat. Any police officer who stops thinking after Ohmigod, I ve been shot! will die.
Lawrence Blum, Ph.D., is a police psychologist, national speaker and published author. Contact him at [email protected].
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