Landis Officer Gribble receives life-saver award

LANDIS — Landis honored one of its law enforcement officers during the town’s monthly meeting Monday for heroism and life-saving actions.

During the meeting, Police Chief Matthew Geelen shared the account that resulted in Officer Austin Gribble’s recognition.

According to Geelen, on May 3, Gribble responded to a distress call regarding a neighbor’s pit bull attack.

“Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Gribble immediately assessed the situation and took swift action to neutralize the threat posed by the aggressive dog,” Geelen said.

Geelen indicated that the scene appeared to begin with two dogs that got into a fight. At some point the pit bull turned on the human bystanders.

“Officer Gribble drew his firearm and shot the dog, thereby ending the attack and preventing further harm to the victim,” Geelen said.

At that point, the scene was still not under control.

“Once the dog was neutralized, Officer Gribble turned his attention to the victim, who was suffering from severe injuries,” Geelen said.

The police chief later described those injuries as potentially life threatening.

“(Gribble) quickly assessed their condition and applied a tourniquet to their leg, thereby stopping the life-threatening bleeding,” Geelen told the Landis Board of Aldermen.

In addition to the victim who was attacked by the dog, another three people were present at the scene. Geelen commended Gribble’s efforts for preventing more of them from becoming victims.

“Officer Gribble’s quick thinking and decisive action undoubtedly saved the lives of the victims, who would have otherwise succumbed to their injuries,” Geelen said. “His bravery and selflessness in the face of danger are a testament to his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting his community.”

The police chief said that the dog was not killed at the scene, but that it was injured by Gribble’s gunshots and later euthanized.

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