Grace under pressure

I want to expand just a bit on John’s post below. By day John’s colleague Keith Radtke holds down a corporate practice at Faegre & Benson. He lives outside the Twin Cities in a placid town on the St. Croix River. A fugitive packing two firearms shot at police in Hudson, Wisconsin and then fled across the river to Lakeland, Minnseota to steal a car. When he broke into Radkte’s home, however, he met his match. Radkte jumped him, took him down, and held him even after the gunman shot Radkte. The Star Tribune reports:

Radtke was listed in good condition at Regions Hospital in St. Paul on Saturday and, although he didn’t want to talk about his ordeal, authorities had a message for him: Thanks.
Sgt. Andrew Ellickson said he was convinced that if Radtke’s brave actions hadn’t stopped the suspect, he would have caused more damage and injuries.
“He wouldn’t have been stopped,” Ellickson said.
Leland Klanderman agreed: “The guy was determined.”
Radtke, an attorney for Faegre & Benson, and his wife, Jody, had just put their three sons to bed Friday.
They were headed downstairs to relax when the front door flew open, according to Jody’s mother, Sandy Brandt.
The Radtkes were staring at a ragged-looking man with a rifle, she said.
Authorities said the man forced Keith and Jody Radtke toward the garage.
Quick decision
At this point, Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton said, Radtke’s world began to narrow into a “funnel.”He had to make a decision,” Hutton said.
When they got into the garage, Radtke saw an opportunity and pounced, knocking the rifle out of the suspect’s hands.
Radtke put the suspect in a bear hug and yelled for his wife to go inside and call 911, Hutton said. She did.
Radtke didn’t realize there also was a .45-caliber gun in the suspect’s waistband, and the suspect was able to get a hold of it and shot Radtke in the lower back.
Radtke continued to struggle with the suspect and knocked the handgun across the garage floor. The suspect bit Radtke several times, and Radtke put him in a wrestling hold.
Nearby officers arrived at the scene, separated the men and used a Taser to subdue the suspect.

The Radkte family issued a statement after the ordeal:

“Our family wants to thank all of the law enforcement and medical personnel for their great work,” the Radtkes said in a statement. “We’re also grateful for the support of family and friends.”

It’s a dramatic story with a lesson or two in there somewhere as well.

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