Trooper Earns Service Award For Actions In Norwalk: State Police

NORWALK, CT – At a ceremony Tuesday at the State Police Training Academy in Meriden, State Police Troopers and others received awards for service in Troop A, B, G and L area towns. The Connecticut State Police honors Troopers who demonstrate exceptional service in the line of duty.

According to a news release, the ceremony also honors men and women serving in local and federal law enforcement agencies, those serving as first responders, and civilians.

Award winners received medals and certificates from Commissioner Dora B. Schriro and State Police Colonel George F. Battle. Governor Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman also attended and addressed the recipients.

Among those awarded included Trooper First Class Marc O’Mara.

According to police, on Oct. 14, 2014, at 10 p.m., Norwalk police received 9-1-1 calls from tour bus passengers reporting that an individual onboard was actively stabbing other passengers. The bus was traveling through a construction zone on Interstate 95 northbound so the driver maneuvered onto the shoulder, behind O’Mara, who was working a construction project.

Police said the armed male had already stabbed four passengers and was continuing to attack others. O’Mara saw one passenger restraining another in the front section of bus, then both passengers stumbled out onto the highway.

According to police, O’Mara witnessed the armed passenger attempting to stab the other passenger. He ordered the armed man to drop the weapon, but the man refused and continued his attack.

Police said O’Mara engaged the man with deadly force, at which time the suspect attempted to attack O’Mara with the edged weapon.

"Again, O’Mara engaged the armed subject with deadly force," police said in a release. "Recognizing that many people were in imminent danger of being seriously wounded or killed, O’Mara neutralized the imminent threat and, in doing so, saved the lives of the passengers. The heroic and swift actions of O’Mara prevented loss of life among the passengers of the bus and himself."

He earned the Medal of Honor.

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