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University Law Enforcement Officer Alan Horujko (The Ohio State University Police Division, OH)

2016-2017 Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Recipient

University Law Enforcement Officer Alan Horujko of The Ohio State University Police Division is being honored for risking his life to save the lives of several civilians from a driver who sped through a crowd and then emerged from his car to attack pedestrians with a knife.

On November 28, 2016, University Law Enforcement Officer Horujko was responding to an alarm call at a campus laboratory when an Ohio State University student drove down a sidewalk and struck several pedestrians, then got out of his car and began attacking people with a knife. University Law Enforcement Officer Horujko took immediate action. He ran after the attacker and ordered him to drop his weapon. Witnesses reported that the assailant ran toward the officer; when he failed to drop his weapon, University Law Enforcement Officer Horujko shot and killed the assailant.

A professor at the university who witnessed the incident and one of the victims reported that it was less than a minute from the first strike until they heard the shots ending the assault. Thirteen people were attacked and 11 were hospitalized, one in critical condition.

University Law Enforcement Officer Alan Horujko acted quickly and bravely to intervene in the violent assault, placing himself at risk and saving the lives of 13 people.

Date Created: September 4, 2020