(Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Security and Law Enforcement, TX)
On October 30, 2015, Officer Brandon Holloway was performing scheduled duties at an outlying community-based outpatient clinic in Dallas when he overheard a heated conversation between a patient and the medical clinic employee. Officer Holloway intervened in an attempt to calm the situation. He invited the patient to accompany him to the police area of the clinic, where he confirmed with the patient that the dispute was over pain medication.
After the patient calmed down, Officer Holloway escorted him to a waiting area and asked him to take a seat while he went to inquire about the patient’s medication. A short while later, Officer Holloway realized that the patient had left the building. He found the patient attempting to get into a vehicle. Officer Holloway approached the patient to provide him with the information he had learned about the medication.
The patient then got out of the vehicle, holding a large caliber handgun. The patient ordered Officer Holloway to give him his handgun. Officer Holloway refused to surrender his weapon, and attempted to move away from the patient to a position of greater safety. While doing so, he attempted to position himself strategically, in order to prevent the patient from returning to the clinic and harming the occupants inside.
Officer Holloway continued to negotiate with the patient, attempting to get him to drop his weapon. The patient refused and pointed his gun directly at Officer Holloway. Witnesses reported hearing the patient threaten to shoot the officer. Officer Holloway ultimately fired his duty firearm, striking the patient’s hand that was holding the gun, and causing the patient to drop the weapon to the ground. Officer Holloway was then able to gain control of the situation, call for backup, and facilitate medical assistance for the patient.
During this incident, Officer Holloway not only put his life on the line for the medical clinic occupants, but he also did everything in his power to offer assistance to the patient and showed great restraint until he felt that the threat was so imminent that he had to act. He used his own body to block the patient’s path to return to the clinic and effectively saved the lives of all involved.
The actions of Officer Holloway demonstrate extraordinary bravery and a willingness to save the lives of others, without regard to his own personal safety.
Media
On April 19, 2017, Senator John Cornyn presented the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery to Officer Brandon Holloway.