Early last month, Salvador (“Sal”) Garcia, was returning to South Facilities after finishing up his day painting comfort stations. On his way back, Sal came across a troubling scene—a man was lying on the ground next to three idling motorcycles. Sal knew something was amiss. He could see another man at the end of the block, also harmed, and clutching his shoulder.

Sal was worried, so he courageously got out of the van to investigate the situation further. When Sal approached the man, he could tell he was in distress. Sal then called 911 and while he was on the phone, he noticed the man was holding a gun.

“I grew up in a rough neighborhood, so it wasn’t my first time seeing a gun,” Sal said. The man was clutching the gun over his chest. To better assess the man’s injuries, Sal asked the man if he could take off the biker vest he was wearing. The man replied he could, and then a police officer arrived.

The officer yelled to put down the gun. The man on the ground didn’t respond. Sal was kneeling behind him with his hands raised. He told the man to put the gun down. The man let the gun fall from his hand and Sal spun the gun into the street, so the officer was able to secure it. The ambulance arrived and took the wounded men to the hospital. Sal said his wife and brother were surprised and a little shaken by his story, but he felt fine after the ordeal. “It was just a reaction; I saw someone on the ground, and I wanted to help,” said Sal.

On Sept. 13, Metro Deputy General Manager Ernest Kandilige, Transit Facilities Division (TFD) Director Adé Franklin, and TFD Section Manager Curt Dickie, recognized Sal for his commendable act and commitment to the TFD values of leading with love and acting with courage.

Thank you, Sal, for demonstrating King County’s True North and Values!