• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • The power of teamwork
      Stay awake and alert on the job
      The worst rank in law enforcement
      Firearms maintenance
      Why fries need salt
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • California police officer uses K-9’s leash to rescue drowning man
        Small town North Carolina police officer rescues man from house fire
        Boulder police recover $400,000 in stolen paintings, drug stash in...
        California police officer rescues three people from car teetering on...
        Stranded driver gets gas refill from helpful police officer
    • Labor
      • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost...
        San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to...
        Nevada may soon allow noncitizens to become police officers to...
        Florida pays out $5M in hiring bonuses for more than one thousand...
        Cops leave NYPD in highest number since 9/11
    • Tech
      • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
        West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a...
        FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime...
        Wisconsin law enforcement warn of iPhone crash detection feature...
        Snapchat sued for facilitating sale of fentanyl that led to fatal...
    • Training
      • Pennsylvania police utilize VR for de-escalation training
        Running your patrol rifle like a champion
        Present ability, opportunity and apparent intent
        Defensive tactics
        Mechanics, consistency and aggression
    • Policy
      • Arkansas sheriff’s offices refuse to enforce federal ATF gun policy
        President Biden signs bill expanding national missing persons database
        California Highway Patrol spotlights new traffic laws for 2023
        Texas law enforcement leaders say the state has too many police...
        Justice Department launches new language initiative after resolving...
    • Health/Wellness
      • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for...
        Coping with internal investigation or legal action
        The value of data: Wellness through the eyes of officers
        What officers love, hope and worry about
        Don’t be “that guy” — get moving
    • Community
      • Newark good Samaritan honored for assisting wounded officers
        LAPD chief bans “Thin Blue Line” flag from department use
        Friday Night Lights duty
        Oklahoma law enforcement teach children self-defense tactics to build...
        Former Superman actor thanks police officers for their...
    • Offbeat
      • Drunk-driving suspect performs backflip for Ohio police during...
        “Like a scene from ‘Home Alone’”: Georgia man slips on ice...
        “Some real sitcom stuff there”: Florida burglars call 9-1-1 for...
        Wyoming police officer restores classic Chevy Bel Air as police...
        Santa Cruz police arrest 19-year-old for handing out fake parking...
    • We Remember
      • “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
        Chicago police remember fallen and injured officers this holiday...
        Deputy killed by roommate after he “jokingly” pulled trigger of...
        Maryland’s oldest cold case solved
        At least 13 officers shot in five days as wave of violence sweeps...
  • On the Job
    • California police officer uses K-9’s leash to rescue drowning man
      Small town North Carolina police officer rescues man from house fire
      Boulder police recover $400,000 in stolen paintings, drug stash in...
      California police officer rescues three people from car teetering on...
      Stranded driver gets gas refill from helpful police officer
  • Labor
    • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost...
      San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to...
      Nevada may soon allow noncitizens to become police officers to...
      Florida pays out $5M in hiring bonuses for more than one thousand...
      Cops leave NYPD in highest number since 9/11
  • Tech
    • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
      West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a...
      FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime...
      Wisconsin law enforcement warn of iPhone crash detection feature...
      Snapchat sued for facilitating sale of fentanyl that led to fatal...
  • Training
    • Pennsylvania police utilize VR for de-escalation training
      Running your patrol rifle like a champion
      Present ability, opportunity and apparent intent
      Defensive tactics
      Mechanics, consistency and aggression
  • Policy
    • Arkansas sheriff’s offices refuse to enforce federal ATF gun policy
      President Biden signs bill expanding national missing persons database
      California Highway Patrol spotlights new traffic laws for 2023
      Texas law enforcement leaders say the state has too many police...
      Justice Department launches new language initiative after resolving...
  • Health/Wellness
    • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for...
      Coping with internal investigation or legal action
      The value of data: Wellness through the eyes of officers
      What officers love, hope and worry about
      Don’t be “that guy” — get moving
  • Community
    • Newark good Samaritan honored for assisting wounded officers
      LAPD chief bans “Thin Blue Line” flag from department use
      Friday Night Lights duty
      Oklahoma law enforcement teach children self-defense tactics to build...
      Former Superman actor thanks police officers for their...
  • Offbeat
    • Drunk-driving suspect performs backflip for Ohio police during...
      “Like a scene from ‘Home Alone’”: Georgia man slips on ice...
      “Some real sitcom stuff there”: Florida burglars call 9-1-1 for...
      Wyoming police officer restores classic Chevy Bel Air as police...
      Santa Cruz police arrest 19-year-old for handing out fake parking...
  • We Remember
    • “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
      Chicago police remember fallen and injured officers this holiday...
      Deputy killed by roommate after he “jokingly” pulled trigger of...
      Maryland’s oldest cold case solved
      At least 13 officers shot in five days as wave of violence sweeps...
  • Between the Lines
    • Persecution of the LEO is Classic Schadenfreude
      The Rule of Law is Worthless Without Order
      School policing: a paradox of the defund movement
      Defending the honor of the LE profession – finally!
      The dichotomy of the defund movement: reality setting in
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

Community

Alabama SRO receives moving thank-you letter for rescuing children held hostage

APB Team Published August 29, 2022 @ 12:00 pm PDT

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
Shelby County Deputy David Morrow (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office)

An Alabama school resource officer (SRO) was moved to tears after reading a letter from a mother thanking him for rescuing her daughter from an armed man nine years ago.

“When I got the letter, I teared up and cried. It touched me deeply,” Shelby County Deputy David Morrow said.

Mother Deanna O’Neal never forgot Morrow’s actions on February 12, 2013, when the deputy rescued her daughter from an armed man who held the girl and four others hostage in the locker room of Chelsea Middle School.

“After watching how the Uvalde tragedy unfolded — I wanted you to know how thankful I am that you did not hesitate to run into that locker room for those girls. I wanted you to see that scared 13-year-old turned into an incredible young lady who is living her life to the fullest. Thank you for thinking of her first on that scary day. You are always in my prayers,” O’Neal wrote in her letter.

She wrote the letter after her daughter, Madeline O’Neal, recently graduated from the University of Alabama.

Morrow recalled that he and the school principal ran to the locker room to confront the armed gunman who had taken the girls hostage. Identified as Ryan Matthew Sims, a former student and a part-time employee at the school, he is currently being held in a mental institution.

Morrow, who received the National Valor Award in 2014 for his actions that day, recalled defusing the situation by talking to Sims.

“That man [Sims] that day remembered me as his SRO. I was able to talk to him, along with the principal,” Morrow told WBMA.

Morrow began working as an SRO in 2007 at Chelsea Middle, and currently works full-time for Oak Mountain Intermediate.

“I can tell you numerous invitations I’ve gotten to weddings, birthday parties and graduations through the years,” the deputy said.

Morrow’s daily routine consists of making sure doors are locked and security cameras are running, and checking for IDs. More importantly, Morrow said his job is about bonding with students. “We want to build those positive lasting relationships,” he said.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office

“Trust that if somethings happens they’re in good hands. We’re not going to wait, not react. We are going to do whatever we need to do,” Morrow assured parents.

Chief meteorologist for WBMA James Spann, who is a friend of Morrow’s, said that his “actions on that day in 2013 in Chelsea were absolutely heroic.” He also said that Morrow “wanted no attention over this.”

The memories from the letter also roused praise from the sheriff’s office.

“In 2013, Shelby County SRO Deputy David Morrow faced a gunman in a Shelby County School locker room. Deputy Morrow ran to the threat and defused the situation,” the agency wrote in a post.

It also added that its deputies had recently attended Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training to prepare to respond to similar threats.

“Our SROs are ready. We will protect our students. We will not hesitate,” the post continued.

Categories: Community Tags: hostage, gunman, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama SRO, David Morrow, thank you, Chelsea Middle School, Deanna O’Neal, letter, hero

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
  • West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a bird’s-eye view of crime scenes
  • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost recruiting and diversity
  • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for first responders
  • FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime crackdown
  • San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to avoid “cata-strophic” staffing shortage
  • California police officer uses K-9’s leash to rescue drowning man
  • Wisconsin law enforcement warn of iPhone crash detection feature triggering false-alarm 9-1-1 calls
  • Small town North Carolina police officer rescues man from house fire
  • Snapchat sued for facilitating sale of fentanyl that led to fatal overdoses

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The power of teamwork

The power of teamwork

July 23, 2021

Stay awake and alert on the job

Stay awake and alert on the job

July 20, 2021

The worst rank in law enforcement

The worst rank in law enforcement

July 19, 2021

Firearms maintenance

Firearms maintenance

July 04, 2021

Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close
Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.