Texas man saves injured police officer amid shootout with suspect

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) - A good samaritan who found himself in the middle of a freeway shootout, jumped into action to help pull an injured officer to safety Saturday.

John Lally was driving on the Southwest Freeway around 10 a.m. Nov. 11 when he found himself in the middle of a shootout between a carjacking suspect adn multiple Houston Police officers.

Lally saw one of them get shot and didn’t think twice before coming to the rescue.

“I just kind of ran over there and I grabbed that guy with the other police officer and me and him together, we grabbed him by his vest and we dragged him behind the truck. And I kind of tucked him underneath the truck so he wouldn’t get shot again,” said Lally.

He documented the entire ordeal, even the moment he got the injured officer to safety.

Houston Police Department Police Chief Troy Finner says the officers were chasing a man driving a stolen car when he crashed into several cars near Chimney Rock.

After the crash, the suspect came out of his car and began firing at police.

During a press conference that afternoon, the Chief commended Lally for potentially saving the officer’s life.

“People make mistakes. But a truly reformed individual is a person that we can use. And he stepped up and other citizens stepped up and I don’t want that to get lost. It’ll be a time that we’ll acknowledge him formally,” said Finner.

Finner says the 29-year-old five-year veteran was shot in the leg and is expected to survive after receiving treatment.

Houston Police Department does plan to formally thank and acknowledge Lally for his heroism.

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