Show PARADE’S 2003 Police Officer of the Year Lt Scott See kins shone during s f Capt Lawranca Eggart (I) and Officar Stovaii Ritchia (r) both owa thalr Kvaa to tha quick thinking bravtfy and axparianca of Lt Scott Saakira (ck : s a shoot-ou- t one wintry evening saving the lives of two fellow officers ut ' HEN THE phone call came in last Feh8abouta shooting “Scott tried so hard to save my life” says Officer Ritchie “I wasn’t going to let him down” Lt ScottSokins 40 a crime-scen- specialist was home for Little did he know bed getting ready that he would be walking into the biggest one-ma- n crime spree in the history of Lockport NY a town of 22000 just north of Buffalo In the end Lt Seekins fended off the shooter in agun battle that left the suspect dead and two critically injured officers clinging to life in die midst of a ferocious snowstorm "If Scott Seekins hadn't been firing back” said Lockport Chief of Police Neil B Merritt “Jason Kanalley would have executed both of those officers” For his heroic action Lt Seekins has been named the 2003 Police Officer of the Year by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and PARADE He and 10 other officers were recognized on Friday at die association’s annual convention held in Philadelphia It all began outside a bar at about 11 pm when Jason Kanalley 26 started arguing with the boyfriend of a girl he around 4:40 am reporting his position to headquarters Kanalley turned his car several times toward Stover’s vehicle encouraging him to approach but Stover " never took die bait ' “We had heard he was very unstable with the police” and wanted a shoot-oSeekins recounted “It was evident he wanted a conftontation with the police” Hearing Stover’s report Ll Seekins and Capt Eggert immediately drove to the scene A game ensued taking the chase through two trail- - e er parks Once the three officers had Kanalley cornered the gunman raced toward them emptying his assault rifle through his windshield as he came Capt Eggert was shot in die shoulder as he bailed out of his patrol can Seekins scrambled around to cover him while Kanalley turned his attention to used to date As the man turned to leave Kanalley pulled an AK-4- 7 from his vehicle and shot him The suspect then showered the building with bullets as he fled the scene Moments lata Lt Sedans arrived to document the shooting "We had to take clean beer glasses from the bar to put over each spent casing on JBy Ltarry bmitn the ground outside because it was snowing so hard” he said But the weather would become the least of his worries When the police received word that Kanalley had threatened to kill his exgirlfriend’s parents Ll Seekins and Capt Lawrence Eggert 45 decided to warn the couple Meanwhile Patrolman Mi- cae' Stover 36 spotted the gunman’s whick and followed him toatrailer park K-- 9 Officer Steven Ritchie 41 who had appeared on the scene in his SUV Still firing Kanalley smashed his own car head-o- n into Ritchie’s car knocking it off the road and disabling both vehicles A shot hit Ritchie in the chest and he collapsed in the snow hie also Indoe his jaw and lost several teeth in the collision Seekins was several yards away fir- ing his handgun at Kanalley “I laid down flat next to die car” said Seekins PAGES ' OCTOEER 26 2001 PARADE MAGAZINE |