CLEVELAND — Awards for bravery, outstanding performance and saving lives were handed out to members of the Cleveland Division of Police and a couple civilians at a ceremony on Tuesday.
Cousins Ronnie Darisaw and Jonathan Carlton were awarded the Citizen's Award Plaque after getting three people, including an infant out of a flipped car following a wreck.
"Baby wasn't in the car seat, so the question was how do we bust the window out and pull the baby out," Carlton said.
Officer Abdel-Minem Asfour received the Police Star, given to those injured or killed in performance of their duties.
Officer Shane Bartek, who was killed in the line of duty on New Year's Eve, was the only other recipient.
"I went up to the residence to check on the homeowner, I knocked, and a short time later, I was shot," Asfour said.
Asfour was hit in the ballistic vest through a door while on a welfare check.
The bullet deflected into his arm and neck, leading to a 6 month recovery.
"The process was long, I'm fortunate for my support, my family, my co-workers, my support, my peers, I was able to successfully get back to the road," Asfour said.
He's back with a different perspective and appreciation for his fellow officers, including his partner who kept him behind cover following the shooting, and the officers who loaded him into their police car and got him to the hospital
"I think with a situation like that, when you're involved in a critical incident, you're kind of put on your toes as essentially for the next time and the next situation you handle, you'll be well more prepared," Asfour said.
Mayor Justin Bibb gave a speech at the beginning of the ceremony thanking the department for their work. mentioning how much violence we've seen recently.
Editor's Note: The video above is from an unrelated story published on June 7, 2022.