CRESTVIEW — Two Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies have been recognized for their courage in connection with a Jan. 2 shootout at a residence.
K-9 unit Deputies Tim Patterson and Jonathan Duenas were called to provide K-9 support to the Crestview Police Department SWAT team as they served a felony search warrant on at least two suspects who were involved in an earlier shooting and were known to carry multiple firearms.
Patterson and Duenas positioned themselves on the backside of the house as the SWAT team prepared to enter. Gunfire erupted immediately at the front of the residence, and Patterson and Duenas saw three SWAT team members fall off the porch and onto the ground. Duenas noticed a man exiting the back door, trying to escape. He released K9 Diesel to apprehend him.
Patterson and K9 Dax were called to the front to clear the residence. They led a safe and successful clearing of the home, including checking the crawl space underneath, and then securing the surrounding area in the back until the Crestview Police Department relieved them.
"Though bullets were literally flying around them, the deputies showed exceptional courage or bravery while rendering service and apprehending a person who committed a serious crime," a press release stated.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sheriff's deputies earn medals for role in Crestview shootout