Fresno Police officers honored with Medal of Valor

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The Fresno Police Department held its Major Commendations and Awards Ceremony Wednesday morning.

Personnel were recognized successful assorted categories including recovered firearms, exceptional performance, and lifesaving awards.

Three officers and 1 sergeant received the department's highest honor: the Medal of Valor Award. The grant is fixed to members of the section who show utmost courageousness portion facing danger.

Sgt. George Imirian and Officer Christian Andrade, Jacob Shubin and Johnathan Yang were each awarded the Medal of Valor.

They were recognized for an incidental that happened backmost connected Oct. 26 successful the areas of 8th and Platt streets successful Fresno wherever a man, aboriginal identified arsenic 40-year-old Andy Morales, changeable and killed his past roommate, 43-year-old Mario Ternora.

Morales past returned to the country and opened occurrence connected Imirian arsenic helium sat successful his patrol vehicle.

Imirian was deed aggregate times successful the ambush but was capable to vigor for assistance and instrumentality fire.

The officers provided assistance to Imirian portion besides returning occurrence to the suspect. 

Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto says Morales’ behaviour shows helium intended to wounded the sergeant.

“Not lone was helium firing rounds astatine him, but helium was besides repositioning himself aggregate times, going to the ground, lasting up, uncovering places of screen and concealment to forestall himself from being struck by gunfire,” Casto said backmost successful October.

Officers changeable Morales 7 times, sidesplitting him.

Imirian was changeable aggregate times successful the legs and stayed successful the infirmary for a fewer days pursuing the incident.