A Montgomery County police officer has earned the department’s highest award for his actions during a hostage standoff at the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring. Officer Edward Paden received the medal of valor at the department’s annual awards ceremony. Police said Paden was off-duty last September when he learned of a gunman at the Discovery building, but went to the business and went inside. He put himself in a position to provide details to the other officers who were responding to the scene, the department said.

The Montgomery SWAT team also received the medal of valor for its response to the Discovery incident. Team members entered the lobby with the suspect, who was carrying explosive devices. The suspect, James J. Lee, was shot by police as he tried to detonate the explosives.