A Minneapolis police officer shot and wounded in the line of duty earlier this month was awarded a Medal of Honor and the department's first ever Purple Heart on Thursday during a surprise ceremony outside City Hall.
Minneapolis police officer shot on duty given Medal of Honor, department's first Purple Heart
Officer Jacob Spies lauded as exemplifying the "very best of our profession."
August 24, 2023 at 10:48PM
"Those of us on the job know that even the most mundane of assignments can, in a split second, turn into sheer terror," Police Chief Brian O'Hara told the crowd, lauding the bravery of officer Jacob Spies. His "dedication to duty in the face of extreme danger exhibits a character that should serve as a model to any police officer anywhere."
Spies, a seven-year veteran of the force, suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder on Friday, Aug. 11, while tailing a group of robbery suspects in an unmarked police vehicle on the city's North Side.
On Thursday, before a sea of uniformed officers and local law enforcement leaders, O'Hara recounted the chaotic events leading up to the shooting. Spies was working on a focused enforcement detail with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office when he heard dispatch issue a BOLO — "be on the lookout" call — for a Chevrolet Equinox involved in a violent robbery that fled police earlier that evening. He wrote the license plate number on his hand.
Around an hour later, Spies observed the same vehicle and began to follow it while calling for backup. As he crested a hill near the 4300 block of Colfax Avenue N., O'Hara said that Spies "was immediately met with automatic gunfire in an ambush-style attack."
Despite his injuries, Spies remained calm enough to air pertinent information that resulted in the swift arrest of four suspects, O'Hara said.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office later charged a 19-year-old man with attempted murder and a 20-year-old woman as an accomplice in connection with the shooting.
The bullet remains lodged in Spies' shoulder, as it's too close to an artery to remove.
"Thank you for stepping up," O'Hara told Spies, shortly before placing the Medal of Honor around his neck and pinning the Purple Heart to his chest. "Thank you for putting on your badge with honor — and for stepping into harm's way as you work to stop violence."
Spies' wife, Holly, and their 12-year-old daughter, Olivia, then approached the podium to thank the MPD family for their unwavering support during such a difficult time.
"While what happened that night was born out of evil, the journey we have been on so far has reinforced my faith in the goodness of people, community and gratitude. Today, I have so much to be grateful for," she said, getting emotional.
"Thank you for helping to bring my husband home."
Spies stepped off the stage to greet a line of fellow officers waiting to embrace him.
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