Three Lamar church attendees receive medals from Governor’s office

Three people who worship at the same church in Lamar are receiving praise and Public Safety Civilian Partnership medals from Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons.

It all stems from a shooting in August 2020 at a hotel in Carthage.

Just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, Lamar Police Officer John Simpson responded to a call for a suspicious person in the First Christian Church of Lamar. A man meeting the description of the killer was inside the church.

Officer Simpson attempted to detain the man, giving the command to place his hands behind his back and turn around. Instead, the suspected murderer responded, “I’m not going back, I can’t go back.”

The suspect refused to cooperate with an arresting officer and reached inside his own waistband for a knife and a fight broke out.

Officer Simpson tried to restrain the man, and they crashed into a bookshelf and then to the floor where they continued to struggle. Simpson sustained a cut to his hand.  That’s when church members Lendon J. Blanchard, Evan G. Clements Clements and Christopher A. Runion stepped in to assist the officer.  With their help, Simpson was able to take the suspect into custody.

The Awards are presented yearly by the Governor’s office.