Axon Announces 2018 RISE Award Winners

Axon today announced the winners of the 2018 Axon RISE Awards. The RISE Awards seek to honor professionals in the public safety industry who save lives, lead by example, and find innovative solutions to problems facing law enforcement today.

In today's RISE award ceremony at the Accelerate user conference, Axon recognized seven members of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) for the valor they exemplified during the October 1, 2017 Mandalay Bay shooting which resulted in 58 deaths and more than 850 people injured. Axon also presented honorees with a donation of $10,000 to Nevada's Injured Police Officer's Fund in memory of LVMPD Officer Charleston Hartfield who lost his life that night while off-duty. The honorees are as follows:

• Officer Josh Haynes

• Officer Steve Hutchason

• Officer Andrew Krnjeu

• Officer Ashley Lif

• Dispatcher Sheri Matlock

• Special Events Coordinator Cecilia Rodriquez

• Officer Sam Wittwer

Each honoree, along with hundreds of other LVMPD officers, played a significant role on the night of October 1, 2017 when a gunman opened fire on concert-goers from a window in the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Hotel. This incident is the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in recent US history. The honorees are recognized for their specific acts of valor that night which included escorting concert goers to safety, calmly fielding hundreds of dispatch calls, and taking fire to protect others.

"We can think of no better group of people to recognize for the RISE Award for Valor," says Axon CEO and founder, Rick Smith. "It's impossible to even imagine being in the shoes of law enforcement when their work day consists of putting their own lives at stake in order to save members of the community. We are honored to be able to recognize these tremendous members of Las Vegas Metro PD in person and offer a donation in memory of Officer Hartfield."