On September 3rd, 2023, Alliance police in Ohio responded to a frantic 911 call. 59-year-old George Applebee had cut his girlfriend's throat and was dragging her back inside with a knife still at her neck. Officers arrived to the developing hostage situation where they'd be forced to make a split-second decision. >> All right. Where they at? >> That's what they did. He got her to the house. Rather than kick that door in this door right here, >> your ass >> police department, show me your ass. >> He's got the knife to her throat. He's retreating in the house. We're going to kick in the back door. Yeah. You got something? >> Yeah. Right here. That son of a he breaking it up. He wasn't letting breaking up. >> Damn. Hey, let me get out of the way. Where are you guys at? Unlock the door broke, man. Shoot that mother. >> Lee, where you at? >> Back here. >> Hold on. WITH YOUR HANDS UP. >> Less lethal. >> This door is locked. They're right behind us. >> OPEN THE [ __ ] DOOR. WATCH OUT. >> Pull door. >> I don't care. >> You're not going to kick it. >> Open the door. >> Just go lethal for >> open the door. >> You walk away and not quit. >> Yeah, that ain't going to happen. Somebody bring a halagan or a ram. Come on, man. Open the door. >> We can [snorts] work it out. Oh, piece of car. >> See upstairs here. >> Come on. >> Blue. Blue. >> What's your name, man? What's your name? >> You have a rifle, bro. >> Yes, sir. Switching. >> Come out with your hands up or we are coming in after you. >> Walk out. >> We cannot leave but we need you to walk out. >> Come on in. >> I will walk out. >> Then come out with your hands up. You do not want us to come in the house. >> Let's take this door. Let's get it. >> Step back. >> All right. I got to get I got to get by. Yep. >> It's got lock somewhere else. >> Put the other end in and twist. >> Tell me what you want. >> Put this end in here. Yeah. >> And try to >> I can't do it from this side. >> Okay. >> All right. >> You want me to take a chain? >> Yeah, cuz I can't get it in there. >> Yeah. Give it here. >> Watch out. Come back here. >> Back up. >> I have less. >> I got the door. >> Here you go. >> I am opening the door. Can we OPEN IT? >> HANDS UP. >> HANDS UP. HANDS UP. >> I said I was >> All right. Get her. Get her. >> Headquarters. Shots fired. Shots fired. Code 18. Shots fired. Code 18. >> Stand up. Stand up. Come on out. Go, man. >> Come out. Come out, man. Come on. >> Go. Go. >> Come on. >> Take her. You got her. >> Yep. I got her. >> What am I? >> Just go outside the house. Go outside the house. Rob, you're coming with me. >> You two got this. Got it. Go, go, go. >> Just go slowly. You okay? >> Watch your feet. Coming out. >> You safe? >> Yeah, I'm good. Go slow across the glass. >> You all right? Calm down. Take a deep breath. >> Well, I was beating that door, man. I couldn't You guys got to hurry up in the back bedroom. >> What do we got? >> Come on. You got to let her get out. Gunshot. Two. Gunshot all the way back. >> Did that go through? >> I don't. That's what I was looking >> two shot. >> Two one one shot. One down. One down. >> Flashlight. >> Okay. He's >> Yeah. Is >> that one done? >> Yeah. To the head. >> Just two shots fired. >> Just two shots fired. >> Just one down. >> To the head. >> I don't have any. >> What's that? >> That's how completely there is. >> No, he's still going to be the victim in this. She's got a laceration to her neck. >> We have shots fired inside and one down. Injury to the gunshots to the head. Come on, man. We got him. You guys good? >> Yeah. Yeah, we're good. >> We're all good. >> This is your patient. What's your name, sweetheart? >> Anita. >> Anita, what's your last name? Anita. >> Okay. >> Going to the hospital. >> Yep. You got a lastmission to your neck. You're going. Come on, ma'am. We got to get you down the steps. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to rush you, but I'm trying to rush you. >> Dude, I might throw up. I just ate that. >> You all right? He's He's moving. Hey, guys. >> No. That's going to be nerves, bro. That's going to be nervous. Yeah. >> Oh, I just ate that hot ass. So, I'm running. You're good. You're good. You're good. >> [sighs] >> Wrong stuff to eat when you got to run. [sighs] >> And you're out of shape. [snorts and clears throat] >> You all right? >> Yeah, I'm I'm I'm all right. I'm all right. You all right? >> Yeah, I'm good. >> Okay. >> Just want to get rid of those hot heads out of my gut. >> Yep. >> Come on, baby. Get rid of the crabs here. Okay. Have him secure his weapon and he stays with you. Now the two of you stay together. Hey, shut everything off. And he stays with you. The two of you stay together. Secure your weapon. >> Gotcha. >> Yeah. >> Need help? Uhuh. >> Yeah. Yeah, it was just I'm telling you just cuz I was like what the hell just it's still hanging on my desk. One of them things I didn't I don't have my you know I don't wear my thing and I'm like what I think Rob saved her life man. >> Oh yeah. I mean the knife's literally right there. Man, >> I he had it in her throat when I come around. I'm like oh my god. >> Yeah. We got a shell here in the tub. It just secure the scene. Yeah. Absolutely nobody. >> There's one right here. >> All right. That's good. Then that's a two. >> I can't see where the No, that's a screw. And then down there is like a plug. Yeah. I was going to do CPR, but I didn't have it. And I'm like, well, >> hey, we just shot and killed a civilian. Talson just whacked him with an M4. Guy had a knife to a girl's throat. Had him barricaded. They were barricaded in the back bedroom. People are screaming. She already had her knife, her throat cut by the knife by this guy. George is his name. When we get her, they're going, "Leas, he's dragging her back inside." Go back into a back bedroom. I ram the door open. Well, pry bar open. He's standing with a knife to her throat. Rob turns the corner. Next thing you know, pow pow, he's gone. I got two in I got two in the room. I put Rob in a car with Lee Rose and told him to shut everything off and just sit there. Everything's shut off. Your gun secured in that car and you guys just have a seat in the front seat of your car and the two of you stay there together. We're not talking about nothing. Yep. You handle it. You all right? >> Yeah, I'm good. >> I know. I know. Just briefly give me what you saw. >> Struggle over the knife. Get a knife to her neck. Had her as a hostage. And if I didn't take action, he's going to cut her. >> You already cut her once? Yeah. >> Okay, I'm good with that. I'm just You want >> me to do? Yeah. >> Well, no. No. I I think he did fantastic. Uh obviously we all did the right thing here because we all get to go home. I just talked to Hillis on the phone. Him and the chief are aware. So is X. If you have an issue, call me on the ring. >> Thank you. >> You guys good? >> Yeah, we're good. Anything? Water? >> No. Yeah, water if you got one. That's what I'm just throwing up in the tub. You want one, too? >> Yeah, I'll take one. >> All right. Yeah, two waters if you don't mind. >> It might be piss warm, but water. >> Hey, just something just because we got round here. How old is he? >> Yeah, he can't he can't touch anything. Don't even go in the room, dude. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's a homicide. So, >> I mean, unless you absolutely need some medical attention. >> I have to call it in though. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Can you tell me where those bullet holes are in his head? >> They aimed right at his head. He had the knife around her throat. So, I can't tell you if you got to go in there for medical reasons. You got a water. >> They're going to grab some. >> You guys all except me. Everybody good? >> Yeah. No, I just That's what I think. I'm eating the hot heads and I'm like, "Oh my god." And so by running up here, I'm throwing up hot heads now. >> I'll be here. >> Anybody know an age? What do you guys think? >> Do not uh What do you think? 60s >> maybe? Yeah. Yeah. >> Got gray hair that's left, >> right? >> Yeah. That just keeps And I of all days I had them put extra hot peppers on it. >> We just need to know everybody that goes in. >> You go ahead and go. I I'll take it. >> You sure? >> Yeah, I'm sure. >> Okay. We're going to transport her up to a line. They look pretty superficial. So, >> yeah. >> And they brought some waters up to the guys that are upstairs. They all said they were good. >> Appreciate you. >> Thank you. Thank you. What? What's his last name? George. >> Applebee. >> Applebee. >> He's been going by Joe. >> Did you see him cut her throat or anything? >> I did. I was standing right there at the door when he did it. >> So, they were in the house when it happened? >> Yeah. >> And what And what happened? What was going on? Were they arguing all day or what? >> Not that I know of. I mean, we were right here. I'm working on my bike. He opened the screen door and he told her to get the out and then he grabbed her in the headlock and slit her throat right in front of me at the door. >> Is who called you? >> No. Um >> she called. >> Who called? >> I called. >> You called? All right. So then you saw that? >> He said, "You tell him go back downstairs and I'm going to kill you." >> He hit her with a bat before they So what happened to just today? I was upstairs looking out the window and we kept hearing a lot of bump and be like, "Oh, that's him with her." You know, so all of a sudden the door busted open and [clears throat] he came he had around in choke mode and had a a big ass knife. >> What's your name? I know you, but what's your name? >> My brain's going 100 miles an hour here. I'm trying to make >> He's not even allowed to hear >> or won't let her let her or him. >> Her house. He wasn't allowed to hear cuz a couple weeks ago he hit her with a baseball bat and blocked the whole side of >> What's your name? competitive. >> So all you guys live here? >> No. [clears throat] >> You staying here too, Whitey? >> No. >> No. Where are you staying? >> I'm staying in a tent. >> Are you up behind Salvation Army? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. It looks like there's only one entrance. So I'm going to put you at the bottom of the steps. Nobody comes or goes now. >> Yep. >> You and Tomman want to switch. That's fine. Uh Talson and Rose are in Rose's car. He's said he's okay. >> Is he all right? >> Says he's all right. >> Anything? >> No. >> You need to check him out or anything? Have >> Do you want us to at least talk to him? Just ask him if he's okay. I >> in Rose's car. >> Yeah, he's in Ros's. I know he's squared away, so just ask him. Just make, you know, Thank you. >> Yeah, >> Tolman. >> Yeah, >> dude. I'm blowing chunks. I feel like I'm going to pass out. Okay. >> The toilets I mean the tub's just full of Just give me some air for a second. I'll be right back. >> All right, buddy. Everybody's okay. Step in here. Take your vest off and sit down. >> I threw up all over. I can't >> take your vest off. >> So, did they break down the window then? >> I don't know. when I I didn't know where anybody was. I show up the hall again and they said up here. So, >> well, I was handling that accident. How did this all come in? Did it come in through 911? >> I was eating. I heard something about a 911, you know. I'm like, what the hell? So, I'm eating and I hear that there's a knife. See a knife in somebody's throat or something. So, I'm like, "Fuck." You see my sitting on the desk. I just obviously you know what you what you do. And uh so they said, "We need a haligan right as I'm pulling up." I knew there was one in there. So, I pulled where you need me. He said, "I'm coming out." They said, "Okay, come out." He wasn't coming out. So they told me to start hitting the door and I was just beating his out the door um waiting for a shot to come through the door cuz I didn't know. So Nick says, "You want me to try?" So he's doing the same thing. I bam and [clears throat] trying to bust that lock. I bust the lock out but it must been locked somewhere else or stuck. >> Yeah, there's a there was a just a slide lock. >> Okay, that's what uh >> the suspect 59year-old George Applebee was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators noted Applebee was known to police for decades of violent incidents. His girlfriend, [music] 68-year-old Anita, survived the attack and was treated for cuts and stitches to her neck. Despite the trauma, she would ultimately go on to recover. At some point in my career, I stopped counting arrests and started counting close calls. The ones where I walked out thinking I shouldn't still be here. I've answered calls that look calm on the surface, then found out later they turned into full-blown hostage situations after I left. And that realization does scare you because it reminds you how fast a house, a hallway, or a locked door can turn into a place where you might have to take a life or lose yours. That's the headsp space officer stepped into on this call. There was no warning, no buildup, just a victim in danger with no room for hesitation. And walking towards a door when you know violence is already in motion is courageous, but is also discipline. And in those scary moments, your brain strips everything down to threat and protection because you're measuring danger you can't fully see and committing to a path you can't turn back from. And these officers had to move not because they were fearless, but because the victim inside was running out of time. And when you're the only barrier between a victim and a knife that's already drew blood, the weight of every choice gets even harder. Once you know the suspect has already crossed the line into [music] deadly force, you stop thinking about negotiation and you start thinking about survival. And that's for the victim, not the officers, because most officers have made peace with those decisions. Some people will replay this shooting with the comfort of hindsight, maybe asking why he shot when the suspect only had a knife. That's because you don't negotiate with the threat that's already shown violence. You have to eliminate it. Now, stay with me in this clip wasn't the shot, but the moment after because I realize how close the victim came to losing her life. Victory doesn't always feel good as a cop because I've seen officers walk away from this job for good after the day they had to pull the trigger. And not because they were wrong. And I just believe that living with the memory was heavier than anyone on the outside will ever understand.