First Responder of the Month–Deputy Wouldn’t Give Up Despite His Wound

A Catoosa county sheriff’s deputy says its the first time he’s ever seen a suspect keep a gun in his shower.

The deputy didn’t let that stop him from doing his job, even after he was shot.

News 12’s Bill Mitchell tells us the story of Keith Cantrell, recipient of our First Responder of the Month award.

Catoosa county deputy Keith Cantrell and several other officers came to this house on Richmond Road back in March to serve felony warrants on the occupant.

That turned into an armed confrontation when the man dashed into a shower stall and came out with a gun.

Dep. Keith Cantrell, Catoosa County, “He went down….the gun slid down the shower, he fell on top of the gun. I went to secure his left arm, when I did, he pulled trigger…the bullet would go through my finger and hit his bicep.”

Even after he was wounded, deputy Cantrell was not about to stop —there were others there who could have been hurt.

Dep. Keith Cantrell, “I saw some blood, wasn’t sure if it was his or mine, adrenaline was obviously dumped in there…so I looked at my hand and noticed I had a hole that didn’t use to be there.”

Captain Shane Fann, Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department, “He never gave up even after he was actually shot, he warned the other officers there was a weapon and he continued to fight the fight, and he never stopped, he never gave up.”

The suspect was wounded in the shoulder by the same bullet he fired that almost took off Deputy Cantrell’s ring finger. His injuries were not life-threatening and he remains in jail.

Cantrell takes some ribbing from fellow officers for his casual approach to what he did that day.

Captain Shane Fann, “Even afterwards when I spoke to him at the hospital , he said: “captain, just put a band aid on it and let’s back to work.”

Cantrell was named Officer of the year by the Catoosa Chamber of Commerce in August, and tonight News 12 adds our congratulations.

The sponsor of our First Responder of the Month award did the honors.

James Wettermark, Wettermark and Keith, “Keith, on behalf of WDEF, Channel 12, and Wettermark and Keith, it’s my pleasure to give you this certificate to honor you for being this month’s First Responder Hero. Thank You, sir!.”

If you’d like to nominate a First Responder of the Month, send us an email to NEWS@WDEF.COM.

Remember the nominee must be a member of a law enforcement agency, fire department or EMS unit.