Senior Trooper Nicholas Cederberg (Oregon State Police) is being honored for placing himself in the line of fire and suffering life-threatening injuries in order to bring a murderer to justice.
Senior Trooper Nicholas Cederberg was spending time with his family on Christmas night 2016 when he heard a radio call broadcasting news of a suspect in nearby King City.
Based on his knowledge of the area, Senior Trooper Cederberg drove to head off the fleeing suspect, whom he spotted backing into a driveway. The killer recognized his unmarked patrol car and sped away.
The suspect eventually turned down a dead-end road. Senior Trooper Cederberg set up for his return. With backup still several minutes away, he remained in position as the man made a U-turn, drove back toward the officer and aimed his accelerating vehicle at the officer's car. The attacker rammed the patrol car and opened fire, striking Senior Trooper Cederberg in the right hip and leaving him unable to move his legs.
As he lay on the ground, Senior Trooper Cederberg exchanged fire with the suspect, taking 12 more bullets, seven into his body and five that were absorbed by his ballistic vest. At the sound of sirens, the man fled and hid in the woods. Responding officers were able to track him down, engage him in an intense gunfight and fatally wound him.
Senior Trooper Cederberg was taken to the hospital where he underwent surgeries to repair a collapsed lung and two broken arms. A bullet remains lodged in his spine.
Senior Trooper Cederberg acted decisively and courageously as he singlehandedly tracked down and held at bay a murderer who had shot his estranged wife eight times. He placed himself in the line of fire and withstood being struck a dozen times by gunfire to prevent the assailant's escape.