Atlanta-area teen police explorer hailed as hero for saving coworkers after stabbing
An Atlanta-area teen is getting the hero treatment after thwarting a robbery and saving two co-workers at Target who were stabbed, according to multiple news organizations.
Mario Alexander, 17, a Police Explorer and employee at a Target store in Cobb County, Ga., went into action when he came upon two of his coworkers bleeding from stab wounds, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Alexander told Fox 5 Atlanta he first came upon the coworker with an arm wound. “He had his arm lifted and he said, ‘I’ve been stabbed, he got me!’ and threw his arm back and I saw blood just gushing out,” Alexander told the station.
The teen ripped off his t-shirt and used other materials in the store to make a tourniquet for one coworker and applied gauze and pressure to the second coworker’s stab wound in his neck, the AJC reported.
The teen’s quick thinking and action saved both men, who were working security the store, Cobb County police Sgt. Wayne Delk told the news organization.
“He continued to check on both of his fellow employees until medical personnel and police officers arrived on scene to take over,” Delk said.
Alexander credited his training.
“I give all the credit to the Police Explorers and the Lord because without them I wouldn’t have been able to apply my training,” the high school junior told Fox 5.
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Police arrested Michael Leon Thornton, 27, in the incident on charges of robbery and aggravated assault. Thornton allegedly attacked the two security workers when they confronted him about shoplifting, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
Alexander has been an explorer for 15 months. His mother, Gabrielle Cummings, told Fox 5 she has been calling him a hero.
“He says, ‘No mom, I’m not a hero, this is just my calling,’ “ Cummings told the station.
The police department would not agree.
“The Cobb County Police Department and our partners at the Marietta Police Department thank Corporal Alexander for his quick thinking and would like to recognize him for putting to use the knowledge he has gained from the Cobb County Police Explorer Program,” Desk told the AJC.
