Officer David Sachs was honored with a Medal of Valor for his “extraordinary bravery and willingness to protect the lives of others, without regard for his own safety” the department said. He was also awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries while on duty.

I met David at one of our custom CrossFit courses a couple of years ago. He had recently become a police officer after 11 years in the military and 7 years as a federal agent.

During a call, the suspect’s mother answered and invited the officers in. After stepping into the home’s kitchen, the suspect attacked Sachs with a knife, stabbing him multiple times in the face, head, and arm. The tactic he used to protect himself and clear the threat was a primal gross motor movement called the SPEAR, which he learned over a weekend at our CrossFit specialty course. 

Sachs was stabbed six times. Following seven months of recovery, he returned to full-duty and is still serving today.

An amazing story.

Click here to learn more about the incident.