by Garth Meyer
Actions taken by Redondo Beach Police officers to stop an active shooter at the city pier on August 25, 2021 were saluted at the annual South Bay Medal of Valor Awards Luncheon.
Officers Christopher Bushman, Angelica Chaires, Lauren Evelo, Joseph Rangel and Sgt. Michael Strosnider each received a Medal of Valor May 23 at the Torrance Marriott hotel. According to RBPD, Bushman, Chaires and Evelo were first on the scene at the pier, followed by Rangel, and then Sgt. Strosnider, who drove into the parking structure, encountered the shooter and called in a description.
Two people had already been shot and wounded.
Bushman, Chaires, Evelo and Rangel saw the suspect emerge on the rocks at Horseshoe Beach and commanded him to drop his weapon.
After he failed to comply, they shot him. He ducked into the rocks, and pointed his weapon at the officers again and they shot him a second time.
Paramedics later declared the man dead at the scene.
“These are the types of incidents a police officer may train their entire career for, and never have to be involved in something of this magnitude,” said Joe Hoffman, Redondo Beach Police chief. “We provide outstanding training and equipment for every officer on duty 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year, so we are able to respond to any situation. It didn’t matter who was working. The officers on duty, by their actions, definitely saved lives that night.”
The officers were all on patrol elsewhere in the city when the 911 calls came in.
Medals of Valor awards are not presented every year. The designation is the top honor given to an RBPD officer.
Another Redondo police officer, Brett Manis, received a Life Saving Award for his response to a man who fell off a bicycle last summer after having a heart attack. Manis reached the scene on his motorcycle to start CPR before paramedics arrived.
In addition, four Hawthorne police officers were recognized for saving lives during active crime and shooting scenes, and 18 officers from Inglewood, Hawthorne and Gardena were honored for life-saving actions.
The annual Awards Luncheon is presented by the South Bay Police and Fire Memorial Foundation, representing the cities of Gardena, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach, Inglewood, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach and Torrance. ER
