(Flanked by Chief Dan Pancoast and CPT Greg Gottschall, the officers honored are Robert Stametz, Grimaldi Gonzalez, John Meehan, SGT Daryl LaPointe and Greychen Kramer)
Five Bethlehem Township police officers who responded to a December 22 standoff with a shooter who fired at least 115 rounds at them were honored last night by Bethlehem Township Commissioners.
That afternoon, Justin Kephart, age 35, emptied 11 bullets into his mother, Marylouise Meixell-Moyer, as she left a family home on Dennis Street. Officer John Meehan, the first on the scene, and neighbor Douglas Wallace were forced to duck behind a car as they both began taking fire.
One of the bullets fired at Meehan whizzed between his hand and his head.
SGT Daryl LaPointe, who was supervising officer, quickly arrived on location and quickly made decisions to secure a perimeter and warn students about to be released from school.
After a nine-hour standoff, state troopers determined that Kephart was dead. Coronoer Zach Lysek ruled the death a suicide caused by a single gunshot wound to the head. SGT LaPointe and Chief Dan Pancoast, in a news conference last week, credited the numerous police departments that provided assistance and helped with traffic management. They also credited Nancy Run and Bethlehem township Volunteer Fire departments for their assistance. Officers responded from Hellertown, Bethlehem, Freemansburg and Colonial Regional. Bethlehem police provided an armored bearcat that rescued Meehan and Wallace.
(SGT LaPointe, who is also a motorcyclist, has previously been honored for his efforts to curb aggressive driving.)
(Officer Steinmetz has worked as a school resource officer, and was one of the first officers to respond when Freemansburg police officer Robert Lasso was shot and killed in 2011).
(Officer Gonzalez is a 17-year veteran of the Bethlehem Township Police Department)
(Officer Meehan was nearly struck by the gunfire and was rescued by an armored bearcat provided by Bethlehem police)
(Gretchen Kramer is a former NorCo Deputy Sheriff. She also worked as a Bethlehem police officer. She got her start as a clerk in NorCo's criminal division)
Well deserved. We are very fortunate to have such a great Department in Bethlehem Township.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your service, dedication and pure guts. You all are real heroes!!!!!
ReplyDeleteEveryone gets a Trophy!
ReplyDeleteAnyone who would take a bullet for you deserves a trophy.
DeleteWell deserved. Thank you for your service.
ReplyDeleteNo cop signs up to be ambushed like that, great job guys and gals!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your service to Bethlehem Township, and for the support from all the other departments, many thanks to all!
"Everyone gets a Trophy!"
ReplyDeleteThe overwhelming majority of our first responders deserve all the positive attention we can bestow. Most of them are highly educated and well-trained diplomats who defuse situations. on a daily basis, they save thousands of lives. I am delighted to see them recognized by BT Comm'rs.
Who in the world is anon 815am? In a universe of just dumb-ass comments, that one might be the worst.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you Bernie, I'm glad the Commissioners recognized these brave people. We are lucky to have them protecting us.
Your hero Ms. Shafer didn't get a reward. You claimed she is responsible fi rsavi8ng everyone's life Why no trophy?
ReplyDeleteI deleted a comment posted by someone who left a huge gap at the end. Please do not do that. The comment is as follows: "Thanks so much for your bravery and thanks to all who were there to help protect the neighbors."
ReplyDeleteEveryone gets a Trophy! Yay
ReplyDeleteUh, it's called doing your job. It's what we sign up to do
Cowering behind cars 'till the Bearcat rescues you is the obvious smart and really only choice.
Then, nobody wanted to get in the Bearcat to point out the shooter's location for PSP SERT. The one guy who did get in, his bodycam points to the bottom of the interior floor and not out the BULLETPROOF windows doesn't really help.
Glad everyone is safe, but again, it's their jobs