Ballistic vest credited with saving the life of a Phoenix Police officer are 'absolutely essential'
TEMPE, Ariz. - It might not look like much when you first see it, but a ballistic vest is being credited for saving the life of one Phoenix Police officer and thousands of others across the country.
One is out of the hospital while the other is still fighting for his life.
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"These are absolutely essential to get these guys home to their families, their loved ones at the end of every single shift," said Gabriela Pappas, owner of Universal Police Supply in Tempe.
It’s a mission stitched into the fiber of the business, a one-stop shop for police uniforms and gear.
Among the clothing and boots, one piece of merchandise stands above the rest.
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"What we have here is an Armour Express H3 carrier with ballistic panels inside," she said.
It's one of several ballistic vests she sells.
"Inside (is) the part that is actually saving these guys when they take a round is the ballistic panel itself," she says. "It basically swallows the velocity."
How are the vests made?
The technology uses tightly woven threads designed to slow down the bullet, and they were put in action Tuesday when two Phoenix officers were shot.
"Tonight, two of our officers were shot protecting their community. One was saved by his ballistic vest and is in stable condition," said police chief Michael Sullivan on the night of the shooting.
He was later released from the hospital.
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He’s not the only officer with a story of survival either.
Ballistic vests saved the lives of several Valley officers shot in the line of duty, including an officer shot multiple times in broad daylight in 2022.
In the meantime, the Phoenix Police Department, as well as others across the Valley, share their thoughts and prayers for the officer still fighting for his life.
The suspect accused of shooting the two police officers in the line of duty Tuesday is still behind bars.