DANVILLE, Va.—
An emotional morning in Danville as local heroes were honored for their bravery.Security officer Jason Alsbaugh was stabbed at the Danville Social Security Office February 3.
Thursday, he and three others were recognized for how they hanled the crisis.
Michael Astrue, Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration, visited Danville for a ceremony recognizing Alsbaugh and those who helped save his life. It was the first time the entire group was able to reunite since the day of the stabbing.
"I knew I was going to be ok," Alsbaugh told News 7, recounting his initial thoughts after being attacked. "My greater concern was my secondary family here at the Social Security Administration."
The stabbing happened near the entrance of the Social Security building. Alsbaugh says it happened so fast, he didn't have time to think.
"Within a matter of seconds, I had been stabbed in the abdomen, in my hand, and in my head," said Alsbaugh.
"I've never seen so much blood in my whole life," said David Hyde, who was at the Social Security office that Thursday as a customer. He pulled the attacker off Alsbaugh while another man, Anthony Burtt, put the suspect on the ground.
"I flew into the guy with my elbow to the back of his head and knocked him unconscious," said Burtt, who works at the Social Security office with Alsbaugh. His efforts left him injured, but he was still able to restrain the attacker.
"I reached around and choked him and told him to give me his left hand," said Burtt. "He kind of lost consciousness again and when he did, I got him handcuffed."
Another customer may be the one who saved Alsbaugh's life. Pamela Anthony administered first aid until medics could arrive.
"I was shaking," said Anthony. "My hands were shaking. I had to calm down and concentrate on what I needed to do."
48-year-old Byron Clements of Gretna was later arrested for the stabbing.
Today, Alsbaugh isn't mad at his alleged attacker - he's defending him.
"You've got to understand, the gentleman is a nice guy," said Alsbaugh. "Whatever was going through his mind at the time was very unfortunate."
An unfortunate act that has brought co-workers together and left a group of four strangers with a bond they'll have forever.
"I don't feel like there's any heroes in the deal at all," said Burtt. "I feel like everybody just did what they needed to do."
"Everybody that was in here got to go home that day and that was the most important thing to me," said Alsbaugh.
