Officers, civilian to be honored

Heroic efforts during shooting at Classic BMW to be recognized

The Lake County Chiefs of Police Association on March 7 presented it highest award, the Medal of Honor, to two Willoughby Hills police officers.

Officers Craig Anderson and Cory Planisek were recognized for their actions in apprehending suspect Timothy Schmidt in the Sept.

28 shooting at the Classic BMW dealership.

Both officers and Schmidt were shot and seriously wounded during the incident.

“I think it’s a great honor,” Willoughby Hills Police Chief Chris Collins said. “They obviously earned it and it’s fabulous that they got the Medal of Honor. There is no higher award that the Lake County Chiefs offer than the medal of honor.

Looking back at the event, Collins feels blessed that his officers weren’t more seriously injured or killed.

Anderson, who returned to work on Jan. 26, said he feels honored.

“I’m very blessed to be here and it’s very nice to be recognized for doing something but, that’s not why I do the job,” he said.

Planisek, who returned to work March 5, sees the award as humbling.

“I just appreciate the support of family and friends who came and everybody else, it’s awesome,” he said.

Civilian Dana Walling of Painesville was recognized by Collins as well.

“(Dana) Walling was a customer there. He heard the gunshots and instead of going away from it, he observed what was going on and when the officers needed help, he stepped up and helped to actually apprehend and handcuff the

suspect,” Collins said

When the shooting started, Planisek went to tackle the suspect and arrest him but the handcuffs fell onto the ground, the chief recounted. Walling saw Planisek was severely injured and was trying to wrestle the suspect, according to the police chief.

“This guy (Walling) he stepped up and helped take control and actually handcuff the suspect, “Collins said. “At that point it was huge knowing that he still had a weapon at his disposal and still had another loaded magazine.”

Walling had gone to the dealership that day to take care of a recall on his car.

Walling, a former Marine, said he noticed that Schmidt was acting nervous and erratic and being combative, looking for a fight and not cooperating with the employees at the dealership

“I heard ‘gun’ and then heard gunshots and I’m looking and watching. I was standing right there and one of the suspect’s bullets came in between his car and the loaner car I was getting ready to get into,” Walling said.

He then described how he witnessed Anderson return the gunfire and seeing both Anderson and Schmidt go down.

He saw that Anderson was able to get back to his patrol car but Planisek was on the ground with the suspect.

“I heard them both (the officers) say ‘I’m hit I’m hit,’ and even the suspect was saying ‘I’m hit,’ too,” Walling

said. “I ran over there and I asked (Cory) Planisek what he wanted me to do and he told me to handcuff him, so I grabbed the handcuffs and put them on the guy.

Walling notes that by that time other people started coming out and first responders had arrived.

Planisek’s brother Jeff, is an EMT in Willoughby Hills and was one of the first responders on the scene treating him.

Walling described the event as just chaos.

“These guys (Craig) Anderson and (Cory) Planisek, they are the heroes, they responded, they took the bullets, I was just there,” Walling said. “They got hurt, I saw them hurt, and I just reacted and tried to help.”

“You are seeing some of that throughout the country, where people are stepping up and helping law enforcement,” Collins said. “I think they just sort of forget that they are just ordinary people trying to do a job and its a very difficult job but, we are all in this together. The safer our communities are and the more we work together the better off we all are.”

Walling — who received an engraved clock from Collins for his actions that day — is also being recognized by the American Red Cross for his heroic actions during the American Red Cross Heroes Award dinner March 14 at the Cleveland Convention Center.

Schmidt is scheduled to go to trial March 19.