“We're Not Heroes”: Pentagon Officers

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency trains its officers to spot trouble and react quickly at the sign of danger. That's exactly what three officers did Thursday when a gunman emerged from the Pentagon Station Metro escalator and started shooting.

Officer Marvin Carraway, who was the first to face gunman John Patrick Bedell, said the look on Bedell's face in the moments before the shooting betrayed his intentions.

"We're on post, and I noticed the individual walking toward our post," Carraway said. "As he got closer, I decided to stand up and greet him and we made eye contact, and once we made eye contact, he looked at me and I looked at him and I knew something was about to happen. He had a funny look on his face. He drew his weapon. He started shooting at me. I immediately took cover, and we all returned fire."

Carraway and Officer Jeffery Amos suffered minor graze injuries. Bedell was fatally wounded. Officer Colin Richards escaped injury.

All that Amos was thinking about at the time was his duty -- protect the Pentagon and the people inside.

"It was unfortunate what happened, but we did what we had to do," Carraway said. "We did our jobs. We performed as we were trained."

Carraway said he recognized the look in Bedell's eyes as a sign of potential danger -- just enough of a warning for him to take cover and return fire.

"I don't think we're heroes," Carraway said. "I think we're officers who take pride in our job, and I think we did our job base upon our training."
 

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