Four members of Sheriff’s Department honored for heroic act

 DES MOINES — Four members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department were amongst the six honored for acts of bravery at the 2023 Governor’s Lifesaving Awards and Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor ceremony held at the State Capitol Building Monday, December 18. “The greatness of our state  really does lie in our people. Iowans are brave, they’re big-hearted and generous,” Gov. Reynolds said during the ceremony. “They care both for their neighbors and strangers in need, and they don’t count the cost. Year after year, this ceremony demonstrates just how deeply these qualities run.”  Sheriff Neil Gross, Chief Deputy Cody Eckles, Deputy Jacob Hoss, and Deputy William McDaniel were honored with the Sullivan Brothers’ award, named for the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, who lost their lives when torpedoes struck the USS Juneau during a battle with Japan in World War II. The officers were nominated by Sgt. Chad Butler for their acts of bravery during the rescue of a suicidal Elk Horn man from a burning home in July 2021. Gross, who was the first to respond to the home that day, said the man had threatened to blow up his house, and had doused it in gasoline and was standing by the window with a lighter.  He had screwed the doors shut to prevent entry from outside. The deputies were trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender, however, after two hours of negotiating with the officers, the man stopped responding. They then heard two rounds of gun fire from inside the dwelling, one of which came through the window toward the direction of the officers. Shortly after, the man ignited a fire in a section of the house where Gross said the man had ammunition piled up. Once the ammunition started going off, Gross ordered one of the deputies to break out a window with an impact round, hoping to allow the man access out of the home through the window. However, Gross said the man made no attempt to exit the dwelling, but they saw him pounding on a different window. Gross said he was unsure if the man was trying to bait the officers inside the house,  however, he made the decision to prep an entry team to enter the dwelling. When the officers breached the door, they found the man passed out and lying on top of a rifle. The officers extracted him from the house and he was given medical care, then transported to Myrtue Medical Center, where he was treated for smoke inhalation. Iowa Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Bayens, who spoke at the award ceremony, said the threat of ambush was real. “None the less, these four men decided to bear those risks and attempt to save the occupent,” Bayens said. The ceremony was attended by Governor Reynolds, Lt. Governor Adam Gregg, Bayens, and Kelly Sullivan, granddaughter of one of the Sullivan Brothers.  Gross said while the honor is appreciated, he was just happy the outcome was good that day. “Everyone was safe. We were just doing our jobs,” Gross said.