On January 15, 2019, Brian Pierce was driving with his daughter Isabel Pierce on Rocksprings Rd in Newcastle. While driving, Brian heard a loud sound and his driver’s side window shattered. It was the day Placer county sheriff Devon Bell says 47-year-old Stanley Stepanski went on a shooting rampage in the county. 93-year-old Mary Toste was shot and killed in her home that day.
Brian suddenly realized he had been shot in the chest by a passing vehicle. Brian’s eight-year-old daughter Isabel saw that he was bleeding from his chest and pointed to her own chest communicating to him where he was shot. Brian grabbed his sweat band and placed it over the wound on his chest. Isabel quickly used her hands to hold the sweatband in place over Brian’s wound.
Isabel kept direct pressure on the wound as Brian activated his OnStar for help. With Isabel keeping pressure on Brian’s wound, he was able to continue driving .Brian and Isabel drove to a fire station in Loomis where he received medical aid. "We started honking to get them to come out," says Isabel. "Then they came out and opened my door and they saw my dad. And then they helped him and called the ambulance and stuff." Brian says he thinks any of his children would likely have done the same thing but "we are so proud of her," he told KFBK. "She didn't flinch. She didn't hesitate."
On January 11, 2019, Placer Sheriff’s detectives were attempting to arrest a burglary suspect that was believed to be armed and dangerous. The suspect was found at the Best Buy in Roseville. When contacted, the suspect assaulted a detective and fled on foot. Tyler Metildi was working at Best Buy as an asset protection officer. He made a split second decision to help the detectives and sprinted towards the fleeing suspect. He was able to tackle the suspect and detectives were able to take the man into custody. Thanks to Tyler’s quick thinking and courage, he aided in the apprehension of a felony suspect.
Tyler became an instant hero when the story went viral online. He says he has been hearing from strangers from all over who just want to thank him for his actions. But ever the humble young man, Tyler is overwhelmed with being in the spotlight. "I'm not a big fan of attention by any means so it's a little weird," Tyler says.
Due to company policy, Tyler lost his job at Best Buy. After the story went viral, Best Buy offered to give him his job back but he declined. Tyler has applied to the Placer County Sheriff's Academy and takes his entrance tests later this month. Whether he's accepted or not, the army veteran plans to use his G.I. Bill to attend a high-end security school in April. He's been considering a job overseas in security but says right now he's focused on the academy and hopes to become a deputy.