LUBBOCK, Texas — School leaders Thursday honored a police officer for saving the life of a child during an open house event at Wheelock Elementary.
The open house was August 11 and Lubbock ISD police officer Adam Ortiz was on duty.
“I had a woman in distress, approached me running down the hallway,” Ortiz said after the LISD Board of Trustees honored him. “I see an infant. She’s holding the infant, and she’s running down the hallway yelling my name.”
The child was choking on piece of candy.
“The eyes looked rolled back a little bit. So, you know, I’ve always told myself the worse thing than one panicking person is to panic,” Ortiz said. “I knew action had to be taken.”
“I placed the baby in my arm face down, gave several blows to the back, and then eventually a piece of candy that was stuck in her throat came out,” Ortiz said.
“He never hesitates to take on some role,” LISD Police Chief Ray Mendoza said. Mendoza said he was proud of Ortiz and called him a leader.
Ortiz was quick to give credit to others.
“I think I have excellent training provided from my administration all the way from my chief to my sergeants. That prepares continuously on situations like this,” Ortiz said.
The entire situation was captured on video. Use the video player above to watch.
