Sgt. Holtry and Sgt. Davis were honored for their actions on November 11, 2016. During the incident, both of them were working as members of BPD’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) when the suspect opened fire from a hidden position striking Sgt. Holtry and Sgt. Davis. Sgt. Holtry knowingly accepted the risk of serving as the point man in an area search for this armed and dangerous subject, putting his personnel safety second to the safety to the community and his teammates. Sgt. Davis valiantly remained focused on defending Sgt. Holtry and containing the deadly threat posed to them despite being wounded by gunfire. Ultimately, other members of SOU returned fire, killing the suspect. Sgt. Davis underwent a long recovery and rehabilitation before returning to work and rededicating himself to a career of leadership and service. Sgt. Holtry sustained serious, life-altering injuries that prevented him from returning to full duty and he retired in 2021. Through it all, Sgt. Holtry never stopped having a servant’s heart and continued to provide guidance and inspiration wherever he could, joining the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Mission 43.
Three Boise Police Officers Receive the State's Highest Honor, the Idaho Medal of Honor
August 23, 2022
Cpl. Steve Bonas was honored for his actions on March 8, 2013. Cpl. Bonas and his canine partner Ruwa were assisting Ada County Sheriff’s Deputies when they took the extraordinary steps of putting their own lives in danger to save a suspect. The suspect was a military veteran, suffering from PTSD. He pointed a firearm at officers forcing them to shoot him in defense of their own lives. The suspect was injured and in need of care but was also still in reach of his firearm. Cpl. Bonas devised a plan to prevent another shooting and save the suspect’s life. As part of the plan Cpl. Steve Bonas and police canine Ruwa moved toward the injured suspect leaving a position of cover and exposing themselves to potential gunfire, risking his own safety to try and save the life of another. Cpl. Bonas sent Ruwa out on a long line and Ruwa successfully attached himself to the suspect. Together the officers and Ruwa pulled the suspect 10-15 feet away from the handgun. This gave the officers the space they needed to take the man into custody and begin life-saving medical care. The veteran is alive today because of the courageous actions of Cpl. Bonas and his canine partner.
Contact: Boise Police Media Relations