Michael

Weinman had high hopes when he left the United States Air

Force after seven years of service to his country. For

most of those seven years he had served in the military

police, so it came as no surprise when the young veteran

joined the police department in Columbus, Ohio.

He completed the rigorous

training at the police academy and then was assigned to

patrol under the watchful eye of a field training

officer. For several weeks the two rode together in the

mean streets of Columbus while Officer Weinman learned

the ins and outs of policing in the civilian world.

Finally, he received the approval of the field training

officer, and was released to patrol on his own.

Before he hit the road by

himself, however, there was something he had to take care

of first. Michael Weinman got married. A wonderful

honeymoon followed the ceremony and then Michael began

his new career as a Columbus Police Officer.

One month after he returned

from his honeymoon, Officer Michael Weinman performed a

routine traffic stop on William Joseph Washington.

Washington acted strangely when pulled over and, after

exiting his vehicle, began to walk away. He returned to

the car when requested to do so by Weinman.

With backup on the way,

Officer Weinman performed a "pat-down" search

on Washington to assure himself that no weapons were

present. When ordered to put his hands behind his back,

Washington complied. Weinman had been given no reason to

believe that Washington intended to resist the arrest.

Suddenly, Washington spun

around. Officer Weinman saw one flash, then another.

After that, the world began to come apart. As the bullets

slammed into his body, he strangely felt no pain. Time

seemed to slow down and nearly stop as the crazed

motorist continued to pull the trigger again and again.

Weinman hit the ground with a thud as Washington,

screaming madly, advanced on the fallen officer.

As Washington jammed his

pistol into the officer's temple, he screamed, "Die!

Die, you (expletive deleted)!" An inexplicable peace

washed over Officer Michael Weinman. As the gunman pulled

the trigger, the pistol jammed.

Swearing, Washington

grabbed for the stricken officer's weapon, still lodged

in his holster. Now time sped up again. A fierce struggle

ensued as Weinman, who strangely couldn't move his legs

or his right arm, fought grimly, with his left hand, to

keep the weapon in his holster. Somewhere behind him a

woman began to scream. Washington panicked and began to

run away.

Groggy now with the loss of

blood, the young officer slumped back and watch his

attacker run down the road. Then, incredibly, Washington

stopped, turned, and glared at Weinman. Fear gripped the

Columbus officer as he realized that his attacker was

returning to finish the job. He struggled to find his

firearm, knowing that, this time, he would die. His body

refused to obey his commands and Washington stalked

closer.

Then, out of nowhere,

another voice was heard from behind the officer. A female

officer was screaming commands at Washington as she drew

her weapon. Washington quickly jumped into Weinman's

patrol car and made his escape. Two calls went out over

the radio, one alerting all officers about the escapee,

the other for an ambulance.

Now the pain - the

searing, indescribable pain - began. Although

Weinman was shot several times, one bullet was

particularly devastating. Missing his vest, the bullet

tore through the strap near Weinman's right shoulder,

entered his body, and apparently bounced around doing

terrible damage.

Michael Weinman awoke to

find himself in the hospital, tubes coming in and going

out of his body, his arms strapped down and immobilized.

Finally he was told the terrible news: He was paralyzed

from the chest down.

His new wife never strayed

from his side and a steady stream of Columbus officers

paraded through the hospital. William Joseph Washington

was apprehended and was sentenced to the maximum of 23

years. Even if he serves the maximum, which everyone

knows he will not, Officer Michael Weinman will still be

a young man when Washington is released. He will still be

in a wheelchair when Washington walks out of jail a free

man.

I met Officer Michael

Weinman last week and heard his story. He is a young man

with incredible courage and a positive outlook on the

rest of his life. As he told his story, his young wife,

married only a few months now, stood by with glistening

eyes and a trembling chin. She, too, has had her life

changed forever because of this vicious and evil man.

Although Michael confesses

that he wasn't a particularly religious man for much of

his life, he believes that God was with him on the road

that night. That is the only way that he can explain the

peace that overwhelmed him as Washington rammed a gun

into his head, screamed obscenities, and pulled the

trigger.

He has some use of his

right arm, but the prognosis, barring a miracle, is not

good. Every year, 65,000 police officers are assaulted by

citizens. Every year, some 150 to 200 of those officers

die. Every year, too many others wind up, like Michael

Weinman, maimed and crippled.

The only time that

Michael's voice betrayed his emotions and pain is when he

made a request of those gathered to meet him. With a

trembling voice, Michael asked us to pray for him and to

pray for his wife.

"We don't know how we

are going to get through this," he said. "We

need your prayers." Quietly, through my own tears, I

vowed to pray for Officer and Mrs. Michael Weinman. I

also vowed to pray for all those officers who serve our

community and keep us safe.

Almost 15,000 police

officers have been killed in the line of duty as they

have stood, forming a "thin blue line," between

us and the predators who afflict society. Only God knows

how many Michael Weinmans there are among us. After the

high price that Michael and others like him have paid,

the least I can do - the very, very least I can do

- is honor his request for prayer. I owe them

that.[Father David Epps is rector of Christ the King

Church and is a law enforcement chaplain. He has attended

too many funerals of officers who have died in the line

of duty. He may be contacted at P. O. Box 2192, Peachtree

City, GA 30269, or online at [email protected] .

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