After Saving Little Leaguers Amid Hail Of Gunfire, IE Man Honored By Gov. Newsom

SACRAMENTO, CA — California state Parole Agent Michael Dilger of Barstow was among 13 state employees honored Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom for their extraordinary acts of heroism, extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty or service.

In Dilger's case, he guided a youth baseball team to safety after shots rang out from a nearby brawl, using his own body to shield the children.

On April 17, 2024, Dilger was coaching a Little League team at Barstow's Lillian Park. In about the third inning, chaos erupted as 20 to 30 people armed with pipes and sticks began fighting just 50 yards from the baseball field.

As Dilger quickly corralled the children into a concrete dugout for safety, gunshots rang out.

"Pop, pop, pop, pop," Dilger recalled. "Something just snapped in me."

He had to protect the kids.

One Little Leaguer was frozen in shock on the field, and Dilger threw himself on the child, shielding him with his body.

Once the gunfire stopped, Dilger pulled the child to cover in the dugout before positioning himself as a barrier between the kids and danger, even as stray bullets struck the concrete blocks around them.

The fear in the kids' faces "is something that'll be etched in my mind probably for the rest of my life," Dilger said.

Fortunately, none of the Little Leaguers nor Dilger were struck by the flying bullets. Reporting from the day found that others were wounded by the gunfire, including a teen girl and a 47-year-old woman.

For his heroic act, on Friday Dilger was awarded a Gold Star under the governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Award, which is the highest honor California bestows on its public servants.

The award program, in place since 1959, recognizes state employees who do something at great risk to their own life in an effort to save another human.

"We celebrate the brave and selfless acts of our employees," said Jeff Macomber, secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. "When they were needed most, they courageously risked their own safety to help others. Today’s awards are a celebration of their bravery, selflessness and unwavering dedication to community."