First responders honored for heroic work during San Francisco UPS shooting

Byby Kate Larsen KGO logo
Friday, August 11, 2017
First responders honored for heroic work during San Francisco UPS shooting
San Francisco police officers and sheriff's deputies recount the moments they arrived at the Potrero Hill UPS building -- with a gunman inside.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco police officers and sheriff's deputies recount the moments they arrived at the Potrero Hill UPS building -- with a gunman inside.

VIDEOS: ABC7 News team coverage of UPS shooting in SF

"One person was actually shot, fell near my car," said Deputy Sean Lee.

Lee says he heard shots as he ran into the shipping warehouse. "The building, the way it's set up as far as any type of scenarios, active shooter -- it was sort of a nightmare because there were so many trucks and so many levels of building..."

Seventeen first responders from six agencies were honored Thursday by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for their heroic actions on the morning of the Juen 14 shooting.

"You're required to perform under difficult situations, you're trained to do that," said Mayor Lee. "But that doesn't take away from the individual bravery and valor you showed."

One of the first on scene, SFPD officer Garth Sutton says while the situation was frightening, he and his fellow officers did not hesitate. "That's what we get paid to do -- protect the city and protect the citizens."

The shooter, former UPS employee Jimmy Lam, killed three co-workers and injured two others before turning the gun on himself.

"There's always that danger where potentially there's still an active shooter lurking while you're working on patients," said Captain Clem Avila, a San Francisco paramedic.

Avila was also awarded a Heart of the City pin Thursday. He pulled up on scene to treat the injured -- not knowing who or where the shooter was.

"Being able to go home that day was definitely the most important thing.

Here are more stories, photos, and video on the San Francisco UPS shooting:

PHOTOS: Multiple people killed at UPS facility in SF

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UPS workers gather outside a UPS package delivery warehouse where a shooting took place Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in San Francisco.

Click here for more information about the shooting.