Prince William County Police Officers Receive Awards For Valor

NORFOLK, VA — Four Prince William County police officers received the Award for Valor at Tuesday's annual Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation Awards Banquet. Officers John Yenchak, Rachel Mynier, Evan Jurgensen and Nicholas Kelly are among 20 officers to receive the award at the event held in Norfolk.

The Award for Valor recognizes law enforcement officers who, in the line of duty, performed an act of extraordinary heroism while engaged with an adversary despite imminent personal risk.

According to a release issued by VACP, on Nov. 4, 2018, Prince William County dispatch received a call about a shooting in progress with injuries. The officers only had vague details about a man who was holding a gun and bleeding, walking around the yard of a residence.

Within a few minutes, Yenchak, Mynier and Jurgensen arrived on scene, where they heard gunshots and retreated to their cruisers for cover. Kelly arrived on scene and immediately took gunfire from the shooter, whose whereabouts were unknown at the time. Jurgensen, Yenchak and Mynier could hear the bullets pinging off Kelly’s cruiser, and started scanning the area for the shooter.

Mynier transmitted radio traffic warning units of shots being fired and also noticed movement on the rooftop of a Laurel Street residence. Mynier also transmitted radio traffic warning incoming units not to come down Laurel Street because of the gunfire. Meanwhile, Jurgensen spotlighted the roof while retrieving his own shotgun, and Yenchak transmitted the location of the shooter over the radio, who was on a roof with a rifle.

The officers lost sight of the shooter because he had slid down the backside of the roof and onto the deck. As Yenchak crossed the street to change position behind a pickup truck, he was shot at again. One of the rounds struck him in the vest between his upper shoulder blades.

While the other officers ran to their positions, the shooter made his way to the side of the house where Yenchak challenged him. The shooter ignored Yenchak’s commands and shot at him again. This time, Yenchak returned fire and circled the truck as the shooter pursued him.

The suspect then focused his attention to Mynier and Jurgensen. Seeing this, Kelly took a chance and left his cover position to come to Yenchak’s aid as they moved to the front of the truck. The shooter then turned back to Kelly and Yenchak, but Yenchak and Jurgensen fired their shotguns. The suspect was struck several times and went down, ending the threat.

Though Jurgenson and Mynier still feared a possible second shooter, they knew that the suspect needed medical attention. They exposed themselves to harm by leaving their cover in order to extract the shooter to for medical treatment.

While the shooter received medical treatment, all four officers, along with several others, were able to pull an occupant of the shooter’s residence to safety. The officers continued to secure the scene and looked for potential victims in neighboring houses.

“The heroism of each officer to run into a gunfight to help his or her fellow officers, while staying calm and updating communications, is nothing short of courageous,” VACP officials said in the release. “The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police is pleased to honor (these Prince William County officers) with the 2019 Award for Valor.”