A good Samaritan in Newark, New Jersey, was recently honored for her selfless efforts to assist two wounded officers during a shooting that took place on late last year.
Angela Walker received the Heroes of the Dream award from the American Dream Mall for her bravery in attending to wounded officers Johnny Aquino and Jabril Paul.
The officers were shot after attempting to question a man — later identified as 30-year-old Kendall Howard — in the back parking lot of 25 Van Velsor Place near Chancellor Avenue.
During the exchange, Howard suddenly opened fire on them.
Walker, a nurse who works with the mentally ill, was dropping off groceries for her daughter and husband when she witnessed the shooting.
Without hesitating, Walker immediately moved her car between the officers and the gunman to shield them from the bullets.
She then rushed to attend to the injured officers amid the gunfire.
“I wasn’t even thinking about bullets. All I saw was him and I was only thinking about saving him. I would want someone to do that for me, my family, my daughter, my husband or my sister,” Walker recalled.
Both officers were eventually transported to the hospital for treatment, and Howard was arrested after a 22-hour manhunt.
Walker thanked the police officers for their everyday heroism, while they, in turn, expressed their gratitude.
“I didn’t see an officer or a cop. I saw a person who needed my help, and that’s what I did. I just thank the officers. They are heroes. They get up in the morning to protect us.”
Aquino, who was shot in the neck and the shoulder during the incident, thanked Walker for her help.
“We are very grateful for her being there for us and taking care of us when that happened. Especially when she came over and put the paper towel on my neck. Honestly, very few people would do that, and I’m happy she was there,” Aquino said during the ceremony.
“What she did was very heroic and brave. She put her life on the line to save my partner. Because she did that it means a lot,” Paul added.
Paul was wounded in the leg during the shooting.
Both officers have since recovered from their injuries.