An Arizona Department of Public Safety sergeant came to the aid of victims and authorities during the deadly shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.
Sgt. Alan Haywood, a 17-year AZDPS veteran, was in Las Vegas for an Honor Guard Detail when a gunman opened fire on the concert crowd. Sgt. Haywood, who was in uniform, tried to respond to the scene. He came across a truck in the emergency lane of northbound I-15, where he found four people, one injured and one already dead in the bed of the pickup. Haywood escorted the pickup to Spring Valley Medical Center. "You're never really prepared for it. It does take a toll emotionally" said Sgt. Haywood.
While at the hospital, Sgt. Haywood was notified that two AZDPS employees were injured and at a hospital across town. He then assisted them by making sure families were notified and acted as a liaison between Nevada authorities and AZDPS. The two injured employees were off-duty and on their own time while at the concert.
Colonel Frank Milstead said, “As Sgt. Haywood’s actions show, troopers are ready to act at any time and any place. They are trained this way and are dedicated to protecting human life. Many true heroes showed their faces on the night of October 1st, and they won’t be forgotten."