Shooting Survivor, City Honor Heroes in Salon Shooting

They were the good in the face of unspeakable evil.

They provided comfort when it seemed impossible.

That is how the survivors of the Salon Meritage shooting remember the five construction workers who risked their lives to treat the victims and guide police to the man believed to have opened fire on the salon, shooting nine people and killing eight.

In a simple ceremony before Monday’s City Council meeting, four of the men - Doug Childers, John Gallegos, Mike Sauerwein, Brendan Peña – were honored for their heroism. While the city honored them, the survivors and family members of the shooting victims hugged the men who provided comfort to their loved ones in their dying moments.

“I will never be able to thank them enough,” said Hattie Stretz, the lone shooting victim to survive the tragedy. Stretz had gone to the salon to have her hair done by her daughter, Laura Webb Elody, a stylist at Salon Meritage. Police believe that shooter Scott Evans Dekraai walked into the salon and opened fire in an act of revenge against his ex-wife, another stylist at the salon. Stretz was shot, and her daughter was killed in front of her along with seven others and a man parked in his car outside the salon.

“My siblings and I want to thank them for saving our mom. It’s really hard for us not to have been there to protect them,” said Natalie Webb, Webb Elody’s eldest sister.

“When you are faced with evil and terror like that, it’s good to know the good guys are there,” Webb said through tears. “We didn’t get to protect my sister, but these men were there to protect my mom. I am eternally grateful to them.”

It was about 1:20 p.m. when the four men on their lunch break heard the shots. They were just yards from the salon. Childers and Gallegos turned to look at one another. Instinct took over in the former Marines. Childers charged into the salon looking for a second gunman. He passed Dekraai on his way out, and the shooter aimed his gun at him but opted not to fire. Gallegos was the spotter, watching to make sure the shooter couldn’t double back and open fire again.

Sauerwein called 911 and relayed the shooter’s path down Fifth Street to police as they arrived on the scene. Peña, an EMT and trained emergency rescue worker, grabbed a first-aid kit and ran inside with Gallegos to help Childers treat the victims.

They cleared the salon. They separated the dead from survivors who were still playing dead, and then did what they could to save the wounded.

“They were comforting that day. It was comforting to be able to do this for them tonight,” Stretz said after the council meeting. “You can tell they are good people. They were here for us. They’re family now.”