Congratulations Special Agent Paul Buta!

Thank You For Going Above & Beyond!

Food court hero named 'Officer of the Month'

Memorial fund bestows honor on special agent
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer

Published September 06, 2007

The off-duty Secret Service agent who was shot while breaking up a fight last November in the Westfield Annapolis food court is being hailed as one of the best law enforcement officers in the nation.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund yesterday named Special Agent Paul Buta its Officer of the Month for September.
"Special Agent Buta selflessly and heroically came to the aid of a stranger. His actions are a credit to his training, professionalism and courage," Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said in a memorial fund news release. "Special Agent Buta's instincts and quick actions most certainly saved the lives of innocent people at the Annapolis Mall."
Police credit Agent Buta, a Gambrills resident, with taking down 18-year-old Javaughn Norman Adams and ending the fight. Police said Mr. Adams opened fire on a group of men about 7:15 p.m. Nov. 18, 2006 inside the food court - hitting 16-year-old Tahzay Brown in the shin and Agent Buta in the hip.
Mr. Adams, who Agent Buta shot twice, now is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. A trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 22.
For his heroics in the food court, Agent Buta already has received the Medal of Honor from the U.S. Secret Service and the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart from the Anne Arundel County Police Department, said Kevin Morison, a spokesman for the memorial fund.
Despite the other awards, however, this is actually the first time an organization has publicly named Agent Buta as the man who broke up the fight.
Police refused to name the agent shortly after the shooting at the request of the Secret Service and Agent Buta agreed to speak to reporters in January only on the condition of anonymity.
Agent Buta was in Hawaii yesterday and unable to comment about the award.
But the memorial fund's press release gives new details about what happened inside the food court the night of the shooting.
"Special Agent Buta was preparing for a Secret Service assignment to South America. Shortly after the Buta family entered the mall, they were passed on both sides by a group of young men. The individuals were dressed in a similar style of clothing with hoods pulled over their heads," reads the release.
Police said Mr. Brown was walking through the mall with some friends about 7:15 p.m. when they saw Mr. Adams and a friend in the food court. Police said he and Mr. Adams' unnamed friend were having an ongoing dispute and Mr. Brown's group started throwing punches.
"Special Agent Buta realized that this altercation had quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation. He instructed his wife to take his daughters to safety as he knew what had to be done," reads the release.
Before Agent Buta could intervene though, Mr. Adams pulled out a revolver and started firing toward the crowd of fighting men, police said.
From the ground, the agent yelled that he was a police officer, pulled out his handgun and fired at least six shots at Mr. Adams - hitting him twice in the upper body, police said.
Agent Buta was treated at the scene and taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. There, he underwent four hours of surgery to repair a broken femur. Due to the location of the bullet in relation to the bone, the bullet was left in place, the release said.
Agent Buta made a full recovery and eventually resumed his duties with the service's Special Operations Division. Mr. Morison said Agent Buta is the first officer from the Secret Service to be honored as the fund's "Officer of the Month."
He said the award is intended to honor officers who go above and beyond the call of duty. Previous honorees have included two officers from Arkansas who rescued a man from a burning vehicle and a Los Angeles police detective who served 50 years on the job.
"It's just a way to honor officers who do something extraordinary," Mr. Morison said.