DOVER, Del.- Dover police are honoring a citizen for jumping into harm's way to offer police assistance in pursuit of a suspect.
It all started at the Red Roof Inn on US Route 13, when police received a call for a domestic dispute on Dec. 28.
The suspect fled the scene by the time police arrived, and they began to pursue him on foot in the area of the Overlook Place neighborhood. Michael Babiak, who lives in the neighborhood, was outside playing soccer with his family when he saw the chase coming toward his home.
"He observed the police activity coming in his direction and made eye contact with Master Cpl. Ian Thompson, who was running directly behind the suspect. When Cpl. Thompson yelled for Mr. Babiak to get inside - that's not uncommon for a police officer to yell instructions to innocents in moments like that - Mike thought he yelled, 'Get him!'" said Dover Police Chief Tom John during Friday's award presentation.
Police said the suspect, 20-year old Devon Young, produced a semi-automatic pistol from his pocket just before he was tackled by Babiak. When Babiak grab Young, the gun was knocked free, keeping all involved free from injury.
Young was then taken into custody, and faces multiple firearms and drug charges, including offensive touching (domestic incident), resisting arrest, possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession of a firearm by person prohibited, possession of firearm with obliterated serial number, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon.
Thompson, who was the officer in pursuit, expressed his gratitude for Babiak's efforts Friday with the Distinguished Citizens Award.
"When he was put in for this award, it was a true honor on my part to be able to put somebody in for that, for his actions and stepping up and being such a key member of his own community," said Thompson during the ceremony.
Babiak remained humble about his heroic efforts during the presentation.
"When Officer Thompson said, 'Get in your home,' I just heard 'get them,' and unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, and I was able to be on intercept course and stop him real quick, and just hold him for the officers," Babiak explained.
But Babiak's biggest fan, his 8-year-old daughter Katie, says she could not be more proud of her dad.
"I thought it was really cool, and I'm really proud of him. Honestly at first I was a little scared, me and my mom were kind of excited, kind of scared. But later I was like that's just so cool," she gushed about her dad.
A hero to the City of Dover, but to Katie Babiak, her dad is always a hero.