FBI Special Agent Tyler Call is honored for his heroic actions, while off duty, to save the life of a hostage.
On July 30, 2014, Special Agent Call and his wife and child, on their way to dinner, had just parked near a gym next door to the restaurant. At the same time, a woman arrived for the workout class she attended every Monday and Wednesday. Her ex-husband, knowing her schedule, was lying in wait in the gym's parking lot, concealing a 40-caliber handgun.
When the woman stepped out of her car, her ex-husband grabbed her by her hair, took the keys to her car, and forced her into the driver's seat. Observing the struggle, Special Agent Call approached the couple in a casual manner and asked what was happening. The man pointed his gun at him.
Special Agent Call put his hands in the air and began backing away, watching as the man pointed the gun at the victim's head and got in the front passenger seat. Special Agent Call moved in front of the car, where he raised his FBI credentials above his head, pointed his gun at the man, and told him to drop his weapon. The suspect fired at Special Agent Call, who fired back, discharging nine rounds. A bullet fragment struck and disabled the man's handgun.
The suspect then forced the victim to start driving the car off the lot while he repeatedly struck her in the head with the handgun. Special Agent Call started to follow on foot but sprinted back to the scene of the shooting, where he was able to use a witness's cell phone to call 911.
Eventually, the victim was able to jump from the car and flee on foot. A bystander drove her to a Los Angeles Police Department station and flagged down a squad car on the way. A California Highway Patrol officer pursued the suspect and was followed by officers from the LAPD. The man pointed his handgun at the officers, who fired several rounds at the man. The suspect led several officers in a high-speed pursuit and eventually abandoned the car and tried to flee on foot. He eventually discarded his weapon and was taken into custody by LAPD SWAT.