Christian father killed in attempted Trump assassination lived and 'died a hero'
A 20-year-old would-be assassin fired roughly 6-8 shots Saturday at President Donald Trump shortly after the Republican began addressing a massive crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania. Although the shooter, whom the FBI have identified as ActBlue donor Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, was ultimately unsuccessful in his monstrous mission to kill the man Democrats have characterized as a "clear and present danger," he still managed to visit tragedy upon at least one family of patriots.
"We lost a fellow Pennsylvanian last night," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) told the press Sunday. "Corey Comperatore."
"Corey was an avid supporter of the former president," said Shapiro, "and was so excited to be there last night with him and the community."
The last message on the 50-year-old former fire chief's alleged X account was posted Saturday morning and stated, "Trump rally! Butler, PA."
'Corey was the very best of us.'
The governor learned upon speaking with Comperatore's wife and two daughters, "Corey was a girl dad. Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday. Corey loved his community. And most especially, Corey loved his family."
Comperatore's love for his family was manifest in his final act: protecting them from harm.
The governor noted that Comperatore's wife not only cleared him to share their conversation but asked him to convey the following: "Corey died a hero."
Comperatore's wife told Shapiro that "Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally."
"Corey was the very best of us," said Shapiro. "May his memory be a blessing."
Dr. Jim Sweetland, an emergency department physician, told CBS News that he had attempted to save a man shot at the rally, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head and collapsed between the bleachers. Sweetland indicated that the man, who appears to have been Comperatore, had no pulse and was not breathing.
"There was lots of blood," said the doctor. "The people over there were really helpful."
The efforts to resuscitate the victim were in vain. Sweetland noted that Pennsylvania State Police officers took over, "picked him up, unfortunately like a rag doll, and took him from the stands.
"I looked up to see his family, who witnessed my efforts and resuscitation, and the look on their faces said it all," added Sweetland.
Allyson Comperatore, one of the victim's daughters, said her father died "a real-life superhero," throwing her and her mother to the ground when gunshots first rang out, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"He shielded my body from the bullet that came at us. He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us," wrote Allyson Comperatore.
Dawn Comperatore Schafer, the victim's sister, noted on Facebook, "The PA Trump Rally claimed the life of my brother, Corey Comperatore. The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. He was a hero that shielded his daughters."
"His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable. My baby brother just turned 50 and had so much life left to experience," continued Schafer. "Hatred has no limits and love has no bounds. Pray for my sister-in-law, nieces, my mother, sister, me and his nieces and nephews as this feels like a terrible nightmare but we know it is our painful reality."
'He died a hero because he was a hero.'
Comperatore was the former fire chief for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Matt Lauer, a former president of the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association, provided WPXI-TV with a strong indication that Comperatore's heroism in his final moments was reflective of who he was in every moment prior.
"Corey put everyone and everything first before himself. It showed in his leadership as fire chief, husband, father, and son. He died a hero because he was a hero. Putting others first," said Lauer. "Butler [County's] emergency service family is less today without him. Godspeed, Corey. You will sorely be missed."
The Buffalo Township Fire Protection District said Saturday was a "tragic day" on Facebook, echoing another group's call to "keep his memory alive!"
Trump asked on Truth Social Sunday morning that Americans "hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed."
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FDNY firefighter fired by city to free up funds for illegal aliens dies suddenly, leaving behind struggling young family
Hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens have flooded into New York City where, in many cases, they receive thousands of dollars in free rent monthly from the government. They are also eligible for a host of taxpayer-funded services such as health insurance, medical care, food assistance, and public education.
NYC has struggled to find ways to pay down the cost of housing, feeding, and placating this unlawfully imported cohort, which has brought with it upticks in crime, disease, and resource competition, disproportionately affecting America's most vulnerable citizens. As with other Democratic-run sanctuary cities, NYC determined late last year that it would have to make various budget cuts, laying off citizen workers to free up funds for idling foreigners.
Derek Floyd, a 36-year-old former Marine who had gone to work for the New York City Fire Department, was one of the citizens who got the boot last year. Shortly thereafter, he died of a heart attack. Now, his family is facing financial struggles.
Floyd long aspired to be a firefighter. After picking up various accolades and campaign medals for tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea with the Marines, the proud American's dream began to materialize.
"He decided to go be a Marine," his mother told Newsday, "because he thought it could help him do better as a fireman."
Floyd made it to the FDNY Fire Academy and began to train for a second career protecting his countrymen, this time in New York City. However, one month into training, he suffered a nonfatal heart attack.
While unable to complete the academy on account of his June 2019 health episode, he went to work for four years as a probationary firefighter with the FDNY Ceremonial Unit, according to his obituary in Newsday.
Floyd worked on modified duty in the chaplain's office, helping to arrange the funerals of fallen firefighters — until the city canned him just before Christmas 2023.
FDNY sources told the New York Post that Floyd was one of roughly 10 employees who had been hurt on the job and assigned office work or had been sick for a prolonged period who were terminated as part of a broader budget cut scheme aimed at tackling the financial strain imposed by the city's overwhelming illegal alien population.
"What disturbs me the most is that the FDNY is understaffed by hundreds of firefighters. Terminating [Floyd] was absolutely unnecessary," Uniformed Firefighter Association President Andrew Ansbro told the Post. "He had an important job, and the FDNY actually needed him in that unit. He was terminated so the department could prove that they were making cuts. He deserved better."
After struggling to make ends meet, the husband and father died from a cardiac arrest four months later.
Christine Floyd, the Marine's widow, told the Post, "I wouldn't wish it on anyone."
"I think it definitely took a toll once they let him go," Christine Floyd said of Floyd's termination. "He always tried to, like, stay positive about it, and he wasn't really angry."
"But you see a person, and the wheels are turning in their brain where they're just constantly thinking, so I definitely think it did affect us," said the widow.
According to the Post, Floyd had been close to securing additional medical benefits for his family as well as over $600,000 in death benefits at the time of his ouster. While foreign nationals continue to be cared for, his wife and two kids were effectively left with nothing.
"If Derek would have stayed on, he would have had a life insurance policy with the FDNY," said his widow, a guidance counselor with the NYC Department of Education. "That would have helped out financially because right now, it's really bad. I'm honestly swimming in a lot of debt."
The GoFundMe campaign organized on behalf of the Marine's widow and their two children, ages 6 and 2, had already raised over $48,000 at the time of publication.
"He was someone of integrity. His word was his bond. If he said he was going to do something, he was going to do it," Christine Floyd told Newsday. "And his heart beat for our kids."
Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said, "We are heartbroken over the passing of former Probationary Firefighter Derek Floyd, and will explore all financial, legal and legislative options to help his family and ensure they have the support they need during this time."
The Post indicated that City Hall did not respond to its request for comment.
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'Our hero': UFC legend Mark Coleman recovering after rescuing both parents from 'horrible' house fire
UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman called himself "the happiest man in the world" earlier this week after he managed to rescue both of his parents from a "horrible" fire that destroyed their home and claimed the life of their beloved dog, Hammer.
In the wee hours of the morning, Coleman and his parents were sleeping at home in Fremont, Ohio, when Coleman suddenly awoke, reportedly because of Hammer's incessant barking. Coleman immediately knew something was desperately wrong.
"I got out of my room and went to the door," he later recalled through tears, "and it was already horrible. I couldn't breathe. I almost had to go outside."
A fire was raging in the house, endangering everyone inside. Seemingly on instinct, Coleman raced in and picked up his parents, one by one, and carried them outside to safety.
"I can't believe my parents are alive!" he said from his hospital bed, still weeping with joy and hugging his young daughters, Kenzie and Morgan.
According to an Instagram post from Morgan, Coleman had to be "life-flighted to the hospital" where he then "battl[ed] for his life." Thankfully, he is recovering and breathing on his own, a Facebook video shows. "God is good. Miracles do happen," read a message accompanying the post.
Though the family is celebrating that Coleman and his parents are alive, they are also grieving the loss of Hammer, who perished in the fire. "I couldn't find Hammer!" Coleman wept.
"We will miss our sweet hammer so deeply," Morgan added in her post.
Coleman, who still maintains his muscular physique, has been an athlete his entire adult life. He won a national championship in wrestling at Ohio State in 1988 and then went on to compete in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
Afterward, he spent some time competing as an amateur MMA fighter before joining UFC. He won his first heavyweight title in 1997 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008.
"Our father has always been our hero and means the world to us," Morgan said. "He is and always will be a fighter."
"The strongest [and] bravest man I know."
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WATCH: Footage captures the exact moment Kansas City parade shooter was caught
Despite what you might think, “there are good people out there,” says Dave Rubin.
Thankfully, there was more than one Good Samaritan attending the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade. When more than one shooter opened fire on the crowd, resulting in one death and over twenty injuries, a couple of attendees took it upon themselves to detain one of the perpetrators.
Dave plays the footage of the exact moment bystanders tackled one of the shooters.
One of the main civilians involved in the gunman’s takedown was Paul Contreras, whom Dave calls “a true American hero.”
When interviewed, Contreras said that he “didn’t think about it” and just reacted.
“As I'm tackling him, I see his weapon either fall out of his hand or out of his sleeve,” he said. That’s when he knew he had “to take this guy down.”
“Just a good man who saw something and did something,” says Dave.
Unfortunately, “the media and the Democrats and everybody else will say, ‘We need to get rid of guns … we need more gun laws,’” he says.
To see the footage, watch the clip below.
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Heroic dads speak out after tackling suspected Kansas Chiefs parade shooter and feeding him a series of punches
Kansas City Chiefs fans took to the streets of their hometown Wednesday to celebrate their team's Super Bowl victory. The merriment and festivities were cut short when at least one armed thug opened fire west of Union Station, killing a mother of two and wounding 21 others — including nine children.
The atrocity could very well have claimed more victims were it not for the prompt and reflexive bravery of a pair of dads who ran down the alleged gunman and tested his tolerance for punches.
Trey Filter and Paul Contreras, previously unknown to one another, both stressed that inaction was never an option: "It was just: just do it."
The shooting
The Kansas City Missouri Police Department indicated that the shooting started around 2 p.m. Wednesday, west of Union Station, where a stage was set up for speeches made by team players.
Blaze News previously reported that footage of the incident shared online shows panicked fans fleeing the sound of gunshots.
Twenty-two people were struck by bullets. Police noted that eight of the victims were left with "immediately life-threatening" wounds, seven with "life-threatening" gunshot wounds, and six with minor injuries.
A spokeswoman for Children's Mercy Kansas City told KSHB-TV that 11 children had been taken to the hospital with injuries, nine of whom had gunshot wounds.
Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 44-year-old radio disc jockey and a mother of two, was fatally struck in the abdomen.
Lopez-Galvan's radio station, KKFI 90.1 FM, said in a statement, "It is with sincere sadness and an extremely heavy and broken heart that we let our community know that KKFI DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, host of Taste of Tejano, lost her life today in the shooting at the KC Chiefs' rally. Our hearts and prayers are with her family."
The Kansas City Star reported that the local mother of two may actually have been the second fatality in the mass shooting; she died after the 3:30 p.m. Wednesday press conference wherein police noted that one person had already died.
Three suspects were taken into custody, and at least one gun was recovered from the scene. According to the KCMPD's initial report, police had detained two armed suspects. FBI Kansas City said Wednesday evening the shooting "may have involved multiple actors."
"We do not have a motive, but we are asking those who may potentially have any kind of information, a witness or video, to contact police," KCMPD Chief Stavey Graves said Wednesday.
Off-season tackles
Trey Filter was with his wife and two sons when gunshots rang out and the multitudes of people surrounding them began to duck for cover. Then someone yelled, "Get him!" he told the New York Post.
"My brain tells me, 'That must be him,'" recalled Filter. "I literally remember when I was tackling him, 'I sure hope this is who they were yelling at me to get.' Because I just went, 'Boom!' ... I really don't recall seeing him coming."
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Although Filter managed to leap onto the alleged shooter and bring him to the ground, the suspected gunman managed to wiggle free.
That's when another dad with a zero-tolerance policy for evil stepped in to help.
KETV-TV reported that Paul Contreras of Bellevue, Nebraska, was with his three daughters when they heard what they figured to be fireworks. However, when it became clear that the crackling sound was gunfire and that the alleged shooter was on the loose, his parental instincts went into high gear.
Contreras reportedly spotted another man chasing down a suspect and yelling for someone to assist.
"I didn't think about it," Contreras told KETV. "It's just a reaction. I didn't hesitate. It was just: just do it."
"So I went to go tackle him and another gentleman did the same thing," continued Contreras. "And as I'm tackling him, I see his weapon either fall out of his hand or out of his sleeve, 'cause he was wearing a long jacket."
Trey Filter's wife, Casey, lunged for the weapon after it hit the ground and attempted to secure it, reported the Post. Filter suggested the weapon was an AK-47 rifle, though police have not confirmed the make and model.
"So when I see that hit the ground, I'm like, 'Oh, you know. We gotta take this guy down,'" added Contreras.
The Nebraska dad said that he and the other "Good Samaritan" held the suspect down for what "seemed like forever, but it probably ... was like 30 seconds" until police arrived.
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When Filter saw Contreras wrestling with the suspected gunman in the dirt, he leaped back into action and began feeding him punches.
"I don't know if I knocked him out when I tackled him or what, but I had him squeezed so hard he might have been passed out all the time for all I know. I just started racking him in his ribs," Filter told the Post. "I was just yelling, 'F your gun!' and I was just hitting him in his ribs. It was great. You know, America stuff."
While Filter stuffed the suspect's breadbasket with knuckle sandwiches, Contreras reportedly went to work on the alleged gunman's face.
"The whole time he's fighting to get up and run away," said Contreras. "We're fighting each other, you know. We're fighting to keep him down and he's fighting to get up."
After police made the arrest and nearby witnesses applauded the dads' efforts, Filter told his boys, "Get your mother, we're getting the f*** out of here."
CNN indicated that it remains unclear whether the man subdued by Contreras and Filter was among the three ultimately reported detained.
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15-year-old ROTC hero sprints across parking lot, tackles thug who was attacking woman, 65: 'It's just the right thing to do'
A 15-year-old ROTC student sprinted across a Florida supermarket parking lot earlier this month and tackled a wannabe carjacker who was assaulting a 65-year-old woman.
Andrew Papp's reason for his heroic actions that day? "It's just the right thing to do," he told WTVT-TV.
What are the details?
"He told me to give him my keys, and I said no and turned away from him, and he was still all over me," Billie Richert, the victim of the Dec. 4 attack outside a Publix supermarket in Riverview, noted to the station. Riverview is just under a half-hour southeast of Tampa.
Video shows the suspect throwing Richert to the ground — and that's when Andrew jumped into action.
"I started chasing after him, and he turned around and tried to fight me," Andrew, a sophomore at Riverview High School, recounted to WTVT, adding that the suspect "was trying to grab my neck and grab my chain, and so I just kind of held him on the ground."
The station added that another hero named Dan, a former Green Beret, helped Andrew subdue the suspect until police arrived.
"I mean that could be someone's mom, someone's aunt," Andrew added to WTVT. "Like, if that was my mom, and someone did that to my mom, and he got away, that's just, like, that's terrible."
Yet the station said Andrew hardly said a word about it in school.
However, his school principal sure did. WTVT said Brian Spiro this week honored Andrew in front of his Junior ROTC class, describing how he saved the woman.
"Andrew saw that as an opportunity to step in and protect her, and he did so decisively," Spiro said, according to the station.
Not even Andrew's dad knew all the details — not until he saw a Facebook post asking who the heroic teen was who stepped in to help, WTVT noted.
"I couldn't ask for a better son," Andrew's father, Coy Reavis, told the station.
Andrew chalked up his heroics to how he was brought up.
"I think it's just the way that I was raised," he told WTVT, "Just doing the right thing. Like my parents had a huge impact and so did my friends."
A 'thank you' over FaceTime
Richert wasn’t injured and was in Virginia with family for Christmas when she learned about Andrew, the station said, adding that officials from his school arranged a FaceTime meeting this week so she could thank her teenage hero.
"Thank you so much for helping me when I needed help," Richert told Andrew, adding that "your mama raised a good boy."
Richert's granddaughters chimed in with multiple thank-yous on the FaceTime chat as well while they were making Christmas cookies, the station said, adding that Richert has promised to bake cookies for Andrew upon her return to Florida.
Anything else?
Robert Moore, 42, was arrested in connection with the incident and charged with robbery by sudden snatching, battery on a victim over 65, and battery, WTVT reported.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said that "the swift actions of these Good Samaritans echo the strength and unity of our tight-knit community."
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Wyoming man who saved woman and children from a hellish fate awarded highest civilian honor for heroism
A Wyoming man on Monday was awarded North America's highest civilian honor for heroism. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recognized former oil worker Ryan Pasborg, 33, for risking life and limb last winter to save a young mother and her 4-year-old son from an inferno in James Town.
'He gave them a fighting chance'
On Feb. 1, 2022, Stephanie Wadsworth and her four young children — then ages 12, 8, 6, and 4 — were sleeping in their home on the block of Highway 374 in James Town when investigators suspect a child's malfunctioning hoverboard kindled a flame.
The fire spread quickly and burst out of the home's bedroom window, catching the eye of a passerby headed down 374.
Although running late for work on the oil field, Pasborg, of Rock Springs, noticed there were no emergency vehicles at the scene. In the way of help, he was it.
Pasborg didn't miss a beat. He rushed over to the house and called 911. As he pulled into the driveway, the derrickman spotted a young girl and two boys walking out of the house, according to the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Jason Mower with the SCSO said, "He didn't have time to think. He knew what he thought was the right thing to do and he acted," KSTU-TV reported at the time.
The oil man made his way into the burning home through the garage. Unable to see his way through on account of the thick smoke, Pasborg pulled himself forward on his hands and knees.
Several feet into the kitchen, he bumped up against a little figure: 4-year-old Weston Wadsworth. Pasborg grabbed the child and carried him outside. Since the windchill temperature was well below zero, Pasborg gathered the children together and set them in his truck to stay warm. Once the children were secure, Pasborg bolted back into the compromised structure to finish the job he had set out to do.
Again, Pasborg crawled through the kitchen and again he came across another crumpled figure, this time the children's scorched and suffocating mother. Pasborg dragged Stephanie outside and began performing CPR until life returned to her.
Cowboy State Daily reported that Stephanie Wadsworth suffered burns to 77% of her body and would certainly have perished were it not for Pasborg's quick intervention.
After reuniting the family, Pasborg got Stephanie Wadsworth and her children a safe distance away from the inferno and waited for first responders to arrive.
According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, while Pasborg inhaled smoke, he didn't seek medical treatment.
Deputy Mower indicated that Pasborg's help did not end there. He later personally delivered "several hundred dollars' worth of clothing and necessities" to the family at their grandmother's house.
Sheriff John Grossnickle said, "Not only is it a blessing in its own right that Mr. Pasborg was in the right place at the right time, but his willingness without second thought to risk his own life to help save this family was the difference between life and death for this young mother and her child; he gave them a fighting chance."
"There are no words to adequately express the magnitude of Ryan's bravery other than he is a perfect example of what it means to be a real hero," added Grossnickle.
'Old-school hometown do-good people'
The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office formally celebrated Pasborg's heroism in May 2022, indicating that the mother and child spared a fiery death were "well on their way down the road to recovery."
Pasborg also received a hero's welcome during the 2022 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.
Green River Man Receives Standing Ovation At Cheyenne Frontier Daysyoutu.be
This week, Pasborg received the Carnegie Medal Award.
"This award is given for heroism that we don't see everyday," Jewels Phraner, a spokeswoman for the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, told the Cowboy State Daily. "It is an award that represents the best of humanity and we love to recognize people who demonstrate that."
Pasborg, nominated for the award by the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office, indicated he didn't know what the medal was but was nevertheless honored to be recognized.
The hero's wife, Alexandria, told the Wyoming paper, "I get so emotional."
"My husband won't tell you, but that event took a toll on him mentally," said Alexandria. "He wakes up with nightmares sometimes. We are so thankful and grateful for this."
In addition to a $7,500 check and scholarship opportunities, the award will pay for the cost of medical expenses and mental health treatments Pasborg may have incurred in relation to the rescue.
Pasborg, who recently lost his oil job, said, "Both with Christmas just a week away and the bills, the timing was perfect."
Sheriff Grossnickle stressed the hero has maintained contact with the family since the rescue.
"I am honored to know someone like that," said Grossnickle. "Ryan is the example of what Wyoming is made of — the old-school hometown do-good people that make up our communities."
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Christian students work with airman to save mother and children pinned under car: 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good'
A mother and her two children were run over by a car in the parking lot of a Christian school in Layton, Utah, last week. Between the initial trauma and the weight of the vehicle pinning them to the asphalt, the Ponson family was facing the possibility of a Christmastime tragedy; however, such was evidently not meant to be.
Nearby, there was an airman from Hill Air Force Base and dozens of capable kids, all ready to help.
"It's a miracle," Chris Crowder, associate pastor and CEO of the school, told KSL-TV. "We have just seen God do so many things here, and this is one of them."
The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the parking lot outside Layton Christian Academy and Christian Life Center. Bridgette Ponson was walking with her 2-year-old son, Archer, and her 3-year-old daughter, Brightly, when a driver headed west ran them over.
Police suggested it was likely an accident, indicating that the driver may have been unable to see the victims on account of the sun, reported KTSU-TV.
While the little girl was able to wriggle free, her mother and brother remained pinned under the vehicle.
Crowder indicated he summoned students inside the school to help the mother and child.
"I didn't really know what was going on," said Crowder. "I looked across the parking lot and noticed the car and they were screaming, and so I ran over there and I look under the car and I see mom and child underneath the car pinned. ... I immediately just ran into the building because I knew I had to get a lot of people to lift this car."
Around twenty kids answered the call to action.
Surveillance footage shows kids rushing out and attempting to lift the vehicle.
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"I walked out, there was a lot of commotion going on and people were just telling me to help and I just dropped my stuff and ran over," student Theophious Roach told KTSU.
Senior Airman Dominique Childress was picking up his children from the school when his son's kindergarten teacher alerted him to the commotion outside. Childress immediately bolted over and provided the rescue effort with some seasoned brawn.
"I noticed legs come out and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, there's an actual child under this car,' so I was like, 'Hey, guys, switch it up, let's get the car high enough so we can get the kid out,'" Childress recalled. "Somebody came, pulled the kid out and mom was able to get out 15 seconds later."
One of the student rescuers, Junior Saripsat, said, "We did our best, and the moment I heard the kids crying I was like, 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good."
Archer Ponson was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital. His mother and sister were taken to a hospital by ambulance.
KSL indicated the mother, who is said to have been protecting her little boy in her arms, had to have multiple surgeries. Her children, however, suffered no broken bones. All three are expected to recover.
A GoFundMe campaign set up on the family's behalf to help the Ponsons cover their medical expenses has nearly hit its $35,000 goal.
Crowder said, "The kids were heroes, as well as the gentleman that was there and pulled them out."
Layton Christian Academy stated, "We are so proud of the LCA student body. They leaped into action to save the lives of a mom and her two kids who were pinned under a car. Proud of you all."
The father of the children, Andrew Ponson, met with the students who saved his family Monday. The heroic kids were also surprised at school by members of the Utah Jazz, who gave them tickets to the Dec. 30 home game versus the Miami Heat, reported KTSU.
Childress, who similarly received tickets to the game as thanks for his hand in the rescue operation, stressed that the students "are the purest form of the word hero."
Layton Christian Academy notes on its mission and values page, "We instill a spirit of service and compassion in our students, encouraging them to use their talents and resources to make a difference in the lives off others." Mission accomplished.
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Heroic farmer works feverishly to rescue hundreds of concert-goers from Hamas terrorists in dramatic dashcam footage
Hamas terrorists stormed the Supernova music festival in Kibbutz Re'im on Oct. 7, massacring hundreds of people and taking at least 20 hostages. While the area was still overrun by invaders, a farmer worked feverishly to keep those numbers from climbing.
Oz Davidian of Maslul made roughly 20 trips between the beleaguered kibbutz and his farming village, rescuing revelers who survived the initial massacre.
The Times of Israel reported that while each trip was roughly 10 miles, Davidian needed to chart a new route every time on account of the roving terrorists. After all, Israeli security forces, unaware of the music festival prior to the invasion, would not regain control of the area and Route 232 until later in the day.
Dashcam footage shows Davidian driving around burned-out cars and through clouds of smoke. In one instance, gunshots crackle behind the truck as trigger-happy terrorists shrink in the rear view.
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Davidian recalled one of his passengers figuring him for a special agent. "I said to her 'Why?' and she said, 'Look around you, there's nobody here, nobody, we've been stuck here for hours, and there's nobody. You're the only one who came.'"
Davidian told the Israel Defense and Security Forum he awoke on Oct. 7 to the sound of sirens.
"Living in the south, we've learned to recognize various kinds of missiles, and this was obviously an unusual attack. The rate of fire and the scope of it were unlike anything before. I went up to the roof to see, and the sky was full of nothing but the flashes of rocket interceptions."
After ensuring his wife and four daughters were safe inside a reinforced room at home, the farmer ventured out, looking to help. He learned about the music festival after picking up the first of the roughly 120 strangers he would ferry to safety that day.
"I brought them to Patish and went back in toward the site of the party. I knew it was up to me because you can't reach the place unless you know the area. The gaps in the fence, the wadi. No one else would know the way there," said Davidian.
A reserve army officer whom Davidian picked up along the way had the locations of other survivors in hiding on his phone. They reportedly returned to the scene of the massacre together, finding "hundreds of corpses all over the place, on the road and in the fields," along with "loads of cars – some burnt out, some with their lights blinking, and corpses with shotgun wounds inside cars."
On one of his trips toward the source of the black smoke on the horizon, Davidian encountered a group of men he initially figured for paramedics and soldiers.
"I asked one of them what was happening, and before he answered me, I realized that they might be terrorists. I addressed him in Arabic, and asked 'Are they dead, are there injured,' and he answered, and then suddenly, I understood he was a terrorist and he understood that I was a Jew," said Davidian.
The farmer indicated he floored the gas pedal as the terrorists opened fire, but "by some miracle, none of [the bullets] hit the car."
"They were spraying everywhere with bullets. You can't get your head around that level of evil," said Davidian. "They shot at everything that moved."
According to the farmer, Hamas terrorists weren't just murdering. "They were raping," said Davidian. "One was raping, another was shooting, protecting the former, watching him rape."
Despite the carnage and confusion, Davidian and the reserve officer ultimately managed to track down plenty of survivors. They made sure to both record the names of the concert-goers they picked up and to give them an opportunity to call loved ones to notify them they were all right.
"When you see hundreds of young people, dead and wounded and fleeing into the fields, and terrorists shooting in every direction, you put everything to one side, the fear, the family, and you go to get them out," concluded Davidian.
His daughter Oriah said of her father, "He has always been my hero."
While initial reports put the death toll at the Supernova festival at around 260, the Times of Israel indicated investigators have since determined over 360 of the roughly 4,000 revelers were murdered on Oct. 7.
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