NORTH ANDOVER — The North Andover Police Department is proud to report that five members of the Department were honored with Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery in recognition of their heroic actions of rescuing a disabled man from the line of fire during an active shooter incident in April 2024.
At a ceremony in Worcester on Wednesday, North Andover Officers Daniel Furman, Mathieu Messina, Timothy Houston, and Eric Sewarde, as well as North Andover Sergeant Brandon James and Lawrence Police Officers Luis Santiago and Angelo Kocagoz, received Medals of Honor for their response to an April 24, 2024 incident on Waverly Road, in which a man barricaded himself inside his home and fired more than 60 shots from a rifle and a shotgun at police and civilians.
The seven police officers helped rescue the suspect’s disabled father from the active gunfire. According to the award narrative:
“Responding Officers Daniel Furman, Mathieu Messina, and Timothy Houston arrived within moments and were met almost immediately with gunfire from a long-arm rifle. The officers took cover behind their cruisers as the armed subject fired repeatedly from inside the residence. Over the course of the standoff, more than sixty rounds were discharged as the suspect alternated between a rifle and a shotgun.
“Officer Houston had positioned his cruiser in the driveway to shield the father from the gunfire. He then repositioned to gain a better vantage point to cover the house with his rifle. Sergeant Brandon James, joined by Lawrence Police Officers Luis Santiago and Angelo Kocagoz, who had responded to assist, quickly devised a plan to rescue the trapped father while the suspect continued firing. With Sergeant James providing cover, Officers Santiago and Kocagoz advanced through the line of fire and carried the man to safety.
“Moments later, Officer Messina was struck in the face and eye by shotgun pellets. Officer Eric Sewade, positioned beside him, immediately radioed for help. Without hesitation, Officer Furman left cover under active gunfire to reach the wounded officer. Together, Officers Furman and Sewade dragged Officer Messina to safety behind a cruiser and provided emergency medical aid — bandaging his wounds and maintaining pressure while rounds continued to strike nearby. “
Despite the danger and difficult circumstances, the officers maintained professionalism, composure and communication throughout the incident. After getting their injured colleague to safety, officers remained on-scene during a long standoff with the suspect until the NEMLEC SWAT Team arrived and entered the home to find the suspect deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery are held annually, as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recognizes acts of courage, bravery and professionalism among law enforcement officers from across the state. The awards are bestowed by the Governor and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
Hanna Award recipients are chosen by a selection committee of public safety and law enforcement leaders. Upon selecting individuals or teams as recipients, the committee considers the facts of each nomination to classify the award as either a medal of honor or valor. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for those who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and courage in the face of extreme risk and certain and imminent danger to life or limb.
To learn more about the 2025 Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery, visit: https://www.mass.gov/news/healey-driscoll-administration-presents-42nd-annual-trooper-george-l-hanna-memorial-awards-for-bravery-to-members-of-law-enforcement.
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