MIDDLETOWN – Mayor Joseph DeStefano called Middletown Police Officer Evan Barone “the best of the best.”
Barone is the recipient of the New York State Police Officer Medal of Valor, chosen from among 300 nominees around the state.
State officials were joined by police brass from around the region in honoring Barone in Middletown on Wednesday.
Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado called Barone a hero for handling a violent shooting while he was on patrol on August 29, 2020.
“Despite taking fire and being wounded, Barone secured custody of the gunman, protecting the woman with whom he was speaking and several children and adults nearby. Officer Barone then radioed for help, applied a torniquet to his own wound to control the bleeding, and waited for medical assistance,” he said. “This was a vicious attack on a police officer who bravely stood his ground, protecting bystanders from harm and applying his own torniquet and subduing the shooting while being severely injured.”
Officer Barone was honored to receive the award.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this honor and award and grateful to be alive and grateful for the firearms instructors, the reality-based training. Without them, I don’t think I would be here,” he said.
Barone is still out of work, but welcomed back whenever he is up to it, said Chief John Ewanciw.
“Evan, I cannot be prouder of you for everything that you have accomplished for our agency. I want you back. I want you to come back because I need officers like you protecting this community. You still have time for whenever it that you are ready to come back, you have my word that I am here for you; we are all here for you,” the chief said.
The man who shot Barone and was subdued by him when he fired his service weapon wounding him, was sentenced recently to life in prison.
Barone, who is 28 years old now, was on the job for just three years when the incident occurred.
