Two United States Marines were recognized for their actions during the Oct. 17, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. The shooter targeted the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest festival, killing over 50 people and wounding hundreds more.
While many ran away to safety or tried to seek cover, Sgts. Austin Cox and Michael Vura, both 26, ran towards the chaos to help people get out of the line of fire. For their actions, they were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest noncombat award for heroism.
Cox and Vura were presented with the medals in a ceremony outside their squadron hangar at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on Monday.
“We looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve got to go help,’” Cox, a flightline mechanic for Marine Light Training Squadron 303, told the Orange County Register. “Our adrenaline was rushing. You just full-blown go. As people ran out, we ran towards chaos.”
“They didn’t win anything here, they earned something,” Maj. Gen. Kevin Iiams, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, told the Register. “They earned the highest honor for heroism that our nation will give out outside combat operations. That’s no small thing. As the group commander reminded me, there’s a couple of folks who won this award — John F. Kennedy, yeah. So, not a small thing, they have earned this award.”
During the shooting, the pair helped people get over the concert’s barricades and gave first aid to the wounded.
One of the victims they treated was Katrina Hannah, who had suffered two gunshot wounds to the neck and back. Because of their actions, her life was saved.
“I’m just so proud of them,” Loreto Hannah, Katrina’s mother said. “They deserve this and so much more. It’s hard to believe that someone would just stop and take care of my daughter. They’re Marines, they will do that.”
The Marines, along with other concert goers, broke down the barricades to use as makeshift stretchers to carry out the wounded.
“You don’t expect to get anything from helping people,” Cox said. “It’s what you do overseas or at home. You do what you can no matter if anyone is looking.”
