St. George Marksman Faced Critical Decision, Made The Right Call

OK, here's the situation (by the way, this is a real situation that happened just a few months ago):

An armed man has carjacked a vehicle in Southern Utah and led police on a high-speed chase. With the car now disabled, the desperate fugitive jumps out of the car, brandishing his gun while grabbing a young child, who was a passenger in the vehicle.

Now across the state line in Arizona, police stayed with the suspect and witnessed him take the child into the desert scrub brush. The man, with a high-caliber handgun, walks a little ways away from the car, clutching the child to his chest.

As a trained police marksman with a sniper rifle, you have set up a spot where you have a fairly stable position to take the suspect out if the need arises.

The man hollers at police and then raises the gun and points it at the innocent child.

The question is: Do you take the shot?

That was exactly the scenario that was faced by St. George Police Department marksman Seth LeFevre.

And he took the shot.

Mayor Michele Randall explains the importance of the decision made by LeFevre.

"Seth saved the life of a toddler who was kidnapped at gunpoint by a wanted criminal," she said. "Seth is a SWAT Marksman and as the criminal was holding a gun to the toddler, Seth took a shot that ended the criminal's life and saved the toddler. The mother of the toddler will always consider Seth a hero! So will I."

LeFevre was honored for his heroics yesterday by the St. George mayor and city council.

"It was an honor to recognize SGPD Officer Seth LeFevre tonight at City Council," Mayor Randall said. "Seth was chosen as Officer of the Year by the Utah Police Chiefs Association."

And while LeFevre will say taking a human life is always the last choice of most police officers, this was one occasion were "taking the shot" was absolutely necessary to save the life of an innocent child.