Campbell man honored for 911 call that may have prevented mass shooting

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Thursday, September 16, 2021
Campbell man honored for call that may have prevented mass shooting
Campbell Police and Santa Clara County DA honored members of Campbell PD and a resident who they say may have helped prevent multiple mass shootings.

CAMPBELL, Calif. (KGO) -- Campbell Police and Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen honored members of Campbell PD and a resident who they say may have helped prevent multiple mass shootings.

"Just after midnight on July 9, 2021, Farukh Mamedov called Campbell Police to say that a man that he could see on his security camera was prowling in the area," DA Rosen said.

"I was shocked," Mamedov said. "You never think that it could happen in your own town, let alone at your own business, you know? I'm really glad that I made that call."

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Farukh Mamedov and the responding Campbell Police Officers are being hailed as heroes.

On Wednesday, the DA and Campbell PD presented these local heroes with awards for their actions.

Wesley Charles Martines was arrested after arriving officers found a pipe bomb, A-R style rifles, a Glock 9 mm handgun, heroin, methamphetamine and a racist manifesto which stated a desire to "wipe out the Black, Hispanic and Jewish populations."

"They found ammunition that was personally inscribed with 'to a widow from the grim reaper', 'a good start', 'first of many', and 'heard 'round the world'," DA Rosen said.

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Police believe Mamedov's call potentially prevented multiple mass-shootings by Martines across the Bay Area.

"I'm really glad that I called it in because I'm sure it probably saved a bunch of lives and prevented a major tragedy from happening," Mamedov said.

The police and DA want Mamedov's actions to be a lesson.

They released a new PSA calling on the public to raise the red flag to prevent future pain in our area.

RELATED: San Francisco program will pay at-risk residents $300 each month to reduce violence

The San Francisco Dream Keeper Fellowship will pay 10 participants at-risk for violence $300 per month to act as public safety ambassadors.

"It doesn't happen every single day, but we do rely on those phone calls and that partnership in solving crime in our community," Campbell Police Chief Gary Berg said.

"It's too late to stop the Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting or the VTA Shooting, but it's never too late to stop the next one," DA Rosen said.

One could only imagine what may have happened had Martines' planned played out.

Thanks to Farukh Mamedov's call, we will never know.