Story Published:
Sep 8, 2010 at 4:26 AM MST
Story Updated:
Sep 8, 2010 at 1:47 PM MST
BILLINGS - The turmoil happening within the Hardin Police Department is nothing for the sole officer left.
Brandon Brashear has faced much tougher odds, and lived to tell about it. KULR-8 caught up with Officer Brasher just weeks before the drama inside the department unfolded. As the city tries for a fresh start, that's exactly what Brandon came to Montana to get.
Serving the community has been a life long lesson for 32-year-old Brandon Brashear. His dad was a pastor and his mom a retired social worker; Brandon saw how their careers allowed them to help others. His parents set the example and he chose law enforcement as his way of giving back.
Then one night everything changed. "It was basically just utter chaos, from the very beginning. It's pretty much the worst situation for a police officer. It's almost like an ambush situation," as though it happened just yesterday Brandon recounts what happened.
It was Memorial Day weekend 2005; Brandon was working as a Missouri Highway Patrol Officer. He made what he thought would be a routine traffic stop, but there was nothing routine about it. "The only thing I saw were feet and a gun barrel coming out of the car," Brandon explained.
Shot after shot, for what seemed like an eternity, Brandon's attacker attempted to kill him. His hand gun no match to the Mac Ten his attacker was carrying. "I did feel helpless," Brandon said. "It was to the point I knew 100% I was going to die, I had no doubt."
Doctors still aren't sure how many times Brandon was shot. They do know he was hit at least 11 times, possibly as many as 17. For two weeks he was in a coma.
To this day Brandon said he doesn't know how he survived but credits his family and his faith in God for getting him through. "I don't think you survive something like that without some type of divine intervention. Some people talk about a guardian angel, well I think I had multiple, I had everyone that night."
Now, five years later, Brandon continues to follow a career in law enforcement, with the same passion he started with. "I didn't want him to rob me of what I was before and what I could have been," he said.
Although the recovery process was brutal, he has learned a lot from the experience. "You appreciate it a lot more and realize everyday that this could be your last," Brandon explained. "And everybody says that and you know that, but this just really smacks you in the face."
With a fresh perspective on life he decided to move his family to Hardin, joining 2 other officers in building a new police department. He said it was an opportunity of a lifetime, "this just presented a very unique challenge, there's not many people who can say they're building a police department from the ground up and that's what we're doing."
But new challenges continue as Brandon will start the process all over again helping build Hardin's new department back up. But no matter what the future holds for him, one thing is certain, Brandon is thankful he's here to experience whatever comes his way.
Mayor Kim Hammond said Brandon will head off for academy training next week to be certified in Montana. He will also be assisting Big Horn County Sheriff's Deputies.
Brandon's attacker was convicted and found guilty of attempted murder; Tommy Ray Rollins Junior will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
;)
