Aug 30, 2008 5:08 pm US/Central
Off-Duty Gary Cop Catches Robbery Suspects
Cop Jumped Into Action With Son in Backseat of Family Car
GARY, Ind. (CBS) ―
He wasn't on duty -- but when a Gary police officer saw a crime happen, he snapped into action -- chasing down two possible robbery suspects -- even though his young son was in the back seat of his car, as CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.
"I witnessed three men, crossing 25th Ave, going inside with T-shirts wrapped around their face with two handguns in their hands," recalled Gary Police Officer Michael McCullough.
It's a scene that he saw while sitting outside a Walgreen's store early Saturday morning.
"I got on my portable police radio and called for assistance, that there was an armed robbery in progress," he said.
The off-duty Gary correctional officer's wife was inside the store buying baby supplies for their three-year-old son, who was in the family car. Even though McCullough was waiting for his wife, when he saw the men run out of the store, he followed the men in his car.
"It's part of everyday duty, as a police officer, so I didn't know if anyone was hurt, but it was my duty – I had to do something about it," McCullough said.
"As we got towards the apartment complex, the subjects came in, fired several shots with my son in the back seat," he added. "The fear of my son getting hurt…me, I've been in shootouts before, I had to back off for the safety of my son and let the officer know what he was heading to."
Fortunately, McCullough and his son were not hurt. Incredibly, during the shooting, McCullough stayed on his police radio the entire time – giving his colleagues a description of the men. Police came to the scene and were able to arrest two of the suspects.
When asked what it was like to see the suspects lying on the ground apprehended in handcuffs, McCullough answered: 'Oh! We did a good job – Gary Police!'
McCullough, who has been an officer for almost two decades, says he's just happy he was in the right place at the right time, so the suspects didn't get away with a crime.
McCullough said his son slept through the entire police chase.
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