Hello, my name is John Salkowski and I am a retired Police Officer of 15yrs who suffered PTSD for many years before being diagnosed. While on-duty I was working the 11pm-7am shift on January 10, 2000. I was on patrol working a beat that was relatively busy as far as crime was concerned. The events that will unfold this cold night will forever change my life.
Approximately 3:55am, the police dispatcher reported an armed robbery just occurred at the A Plus mini mart. The actor was described a black male wearing army fatigues last seen getting into a white Hyundai sedan last seen traveling east towards my location. The dispatcher reported that the actor beat the clerk over the head with a club and reached into the cash register till and stole money.
I was located east of that location so I started to head up to an intersection that I thought he may approach. With-in minutes, I radio to the dispatcher reporting my observations of the white Hyundai sedan now traveling north. I activated my emergency devices on the car (lights/Sirens) and began to pursue the vehicle while reporting my location, direction of travel to radio dispatch. The suspect eventually stopped the vehicle moments later. The events that unfolded shortly after were life changing.
