Current:Home > Invest'I got you!' Former inmate pulls wounded Houston officer to safety after shootout-LoTradeCoin
'I got you!' Former inmate pulls wounded Houston officer to safety after shootout
View Date:2024-12-24 00:29:11
A Houston man who said he "has been to jail a million times" became a hero when he helped pull a wounded police officer to safety during a highway shootout with a carjacking suspect.
John Lally found himself caught in the crossfire of a shootout after police chased a carjacking suspect on U.S. 59 in Houston's West Loop on Saturday. He began shooting a video on his phone and sprang into action when Officer John Gibson was wounded.
Lally's video, which he shared with USA TODAY on Thursday, captured how he pulled Gibson to safety even as the bullets flew.
"I got you! Come on!" Lally yelled as he helped Gibson. "You're OK, bro!"
'I did what I had to do':Man rescues stranger after stabbing incident
Good Samaritan and former convict thought he was being pulled over
In an interview with USA TODAY on Thursday, Lally said he didn't know there was a chase happening and thought he was being pulled over when he saw the sirens.
Then he witnessed a car crash, which he later found out was the carjacking suspect hitting other vehicles.
"When I saw the car crash happen, I thought I was going to take somebody out of one of the cars," Lally said. "It was like an explosion because there was so much noise and vehicles involved. I thought that was going to be the extent of it."
Lally said that he started recording the incident so that he could show his boss why he was running late.
The video shows how Lally pulled Gibson out of the chaos after the officer was shot. Gibson yells in pain as Lally repeatedly tells him he's going to be OK.
"I'm still here with you buddy, you hear me?" "I've been to jail a million times, man, and I love cops, too, bro."
Police:'Good Samaritan' hospitalized after intervening on attack against 64-year-old woman
John Lally is recognized for his heroism
During a press conference the day of the shooting, Houston police Chief Troy Finner said he wanted to celebrate Lally's heroism and that of other citizens who helped.
“People make mistakes," he said of Lally's past brushes with the law. "But a truly reformed individual is a person that we can use. He stepped up and other citizens stepped up, and I don’t want that to get lost."
Lally told USA TODAY what he was thinking when he decided to help Gibson.
"As soon as I saw him get shot, I could immediately feel his pain," he said, adding that he knew he needed to keep the wounded officer alert, having been shot in the leg himself.
Lally pointed to time spent behind bars and working in the service industry for his ability to remain calm in the situation.
"I've been through too many things to let (the moment) affect me," he said.
Lally said he has since spoken with Gibson's family but not Gibson himself, though he is open to that when the time is right.
"He's going through a healing moment," Lally said. "He needs to worry about that. There's going to be plenty of time to worry about interacting at some point."
During the press conference the night of the shooting Finner said that the department would formally recognize Lally's heroism.
The suspect was was shot multiple times and died. Gibson is expected to make a full recovery.
veryGood! (458)
Related
- Amazon launches an online discount storefront to better compete with Shein and Temu
- Kentucky women's basketball names Virginia Tech's Kenny Brooks as new head coach
- Bill that would have placed the question of abortion access before Louisiana voters fails
- NYC subway rider is pushed onto tracks and killed, latest in a series of attacks underground
- Food prices worried most voters, but Trump’s plans likely won’t lower their grocery bills
- How a cigarette butt and a Styrofoam cup led police to arrest 2012 homicide suspect
- Penguins recover missing Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads, announce distribution plan
- Maryland panel OKs nomination of elections board member
- Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries
- Are seed oils bad for you? Breaking down what experts want you to know
Ranking
- Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian Team Up for SKIMS Collab With Dolce & Gabbana After Feud
- Visa, Mastercard settle long-running antitrust suit over swipe fees with merchants
- Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic following a spike in dengue cases
- TEA Business College leads innovation in quantitative finance and artificial intelligence
- US overdose deaths are down, giving experts hope for an enduring decline
- How the criminal case against Texas AG Ken Paxton abruptly ended after nearly a decade of delays
- The Bachelorette Alum JoJo Fletcher Influenced Me to Buy These 37 Products
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Spill the Tea
Recommendation
-
Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
-
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' homes raided by law enforcement as part of investigation, reports say
-
TEA Business College leads innovation in quantitative finance and artificial intelligence
-
8-year-old girl found dead in Houston hotel pool pipe; autopsy, investigation underway
-
Jack Del Rio leaving Wisconsin’s staff after arrest on charge of operating vehicle while intoxicated
-
Photos, video show collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge after cargo ship collision
-
YouTuber Ruby Franke's Chilling Journal Entries Revealed After Prison Sentence for Child Abuse
-
Tennessee Senate tweaks bill seeking to keep tourism records secret for 10 years