On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the Nebraska Sheriff’s Association awarded Scotts Bluff County Deputy Sheriff Anthony Osborn their “Officer of the Year” award. The awards ceremony took place during the Nebraska Sheriff’s Association/Police Officers Association of Nebraska annual conference in Kearney.
Below is the recommendation letter sent by Sheriff Mark Overman, nominating Deputy Osborn for the award.
On August 4th, 2022 Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Osborn #92119 was on duty when he heard the communications center broadcast “someone is being shot at Main Street Market, I’m trying to get further”. He was within a few blocks of that location, responded with lights and siren, and arrived in less than one minute.
As soon as he arrived, he observed a male with his hands over his head, and a handgun laying nearby on the ground. Witnesses confirmed that a man had been shot and the man with his hands up was the shooter. Deputy Osborn immediately engaged the man and after several verbal orders to get on the ground, he complied. Deputy Osborn immediately handcuffed him.
After handcuffing the male and leaving him on the ground, Deputy Osborn ran to the male who was shot. He observed the man’s wound in the area to be his left upper stomach near his chest. A bystander was assisting by holding his own shirt over the wound. Deputy Osborn told him to keep applying pressure. Deputy Osborn notified the communications center of the location of the wound, and ran to his vehicle for his medical bag.
At this time other officers were arriving on scene. Deputy Osborn notified them of the location of the shooter in handcuffs, the handgun, and the injured party.
Deputy Osborn moved to the injured man and applied a chest seal to the entry wound on his chest. With assistance from another officer, they located an exit wound on the man’s back, and Deputy Osborn placed another seal on that wound. EMS arrived after both seals were applied, and transported the victim to the hospital.
Deputy Osborn remained at the scene to assist with the investigation.
We later learned that Deputy Osborn properly placed both seals, and the emergency room did not need to adjust them. The victim was taken to surgery and survived.
On March 31st, 2023, the perpetrator of the shooting was sentenced to 55 to 80 years in prison. The victim has had several surgeries and continues his recovery.
This shooting happened at a very busy location. We later learned that citizens and employees inside the store heard the gunfire and were very frightened that an active shooter was in the area. Deputy Osborn arrived in less than a minute and quickly took the suspect into custody. He then turned his attention to the victim, while notifying responding officers and EMS of the situation. He then provided first aid in the form of chest seals to the front and back of the victim, all before medical arrived. His actions certainly contributed to the victim’s survival.
Deputy Osborn has worked for our agency since April of 2018. He previously worked for the Kimball County Sheriff’s Office. He is also a US Army Iraq war veteran.