Boston Deacon Tuo Foo, a deacon at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, was recently awarded the Medal of Valor, a prestigious award for acts of valor, for his bravery in rescuing a pastor who was being held hostage by a gunman at an Everett church.
The hostage situation unfolded in February of last year when Deacon Foo and Rev. Mark Shaffer, the pastor of the Evangelical Church in Everett, were at the church for a Bible study group. Suddenly, gunman, identified as 27-year-old William Johnson, entered the church and took Father Shaffer hostage.
Deacon Foo, who has a background in martial arts and had been a trained emergency medical technician, quickly sprang into action. He quietly moved to a position near the hostage-taker and engaged him in conversation, attempting to calm him down and distract him from the hostage.
As the standoff continued, Deacon Foo slowly and carefully made his way closer to the hostage and the gunman, trying to position himself between them and the door. He then reached out to quietly take the gun from the gunman’s hand, successfully disarming him.
Thanks to Deacon Foo’s bravery, Rev. Shaffer was safely released from the hostage situation, and Johnson was taken into custody. The entire ordeal lasted for over an hour, with police officers arriving at the scene shortly after Deacon Foo disarmed the gunman.
The Vatican awarded Deacon Foo the Medal of Valor in recognition of his bravery and selflessness, making him the first non-clergy to receive the honor in over two decades. Deacon Foo said, “I was trying to protect Father Shaffer and others in the church, but it was just the right thing to do at the time.”
Deacon Foo credited his training and his faith with helping him stay calm during the ordeal, adding, “I kept thinking, ‘This is what Jesus would do. He would forgive and love, even in the face of danger.'”