Dallas County deputy constables honored for bravery after Oak Cliff apartment explosion
DALLAS - Dallas County deputy constables who rushed into an apartment complex explosion and fire last month, putting others before themselves, were saluted for their efforts by Dallas County Commissioners.
Deputy Constables Honored
What we know:
A standing ovation echoed through the Dallas County Commissioners Court on Tuesday as county leaders and attendees paused to honor two deputy constables who risked their lives during a chaotic apartment explosion and fire last month in Oak Cliff.
Deputy Constables Vincent DeLuna and Jonathan Banda were the first law enforcement officers to arrive at the scene of the May 28 disaster, which left three people dead and others injured.
Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia presented a formal resolution to the deputies and their constable, praising the men for running toward danger while other agencies were still assessing the situation.
"Run to the scene and risk their lives to see how they could save, and they walk into the fire while Dallas Fire-Rescue and everyone else, Atmos, and all the different agencies were trying to find out. These two individuals ran into it to see how they could help," Garcia said.
Heroic Actions Caught on Camera
The backstory:
Deputy DeLuna and Deputy Banda were in different locations on that Thursday afternoon when the first explosion occurred. Deciding on their own to run toward the blast, they arrived ahead of other emergency personnel.
According to body camera footage, DeLuna immediately went door-to-door in the complex next to the burning building to search for residents and pets. He successfully guided at least five dogs, including a large husky, to safety.
Meanwhile, Banda focused on clearing a path for incoming emergency vehicles. A Waymo autonomous vehicle was stopped in the street, blocking a large fire engine from getting down the block. Banda contacted a Waymo dispatcher to take control of the vehicle, eventually getting inside the car and moving it out of the way.
Reflecting on a Harrowing Day
Following Tuesday’s ceremony, the deputies and Precinct 5 elected Constable Michael Orozco shared their perspectives on the recognition and the harrowing events of that afternoon.
What they're saying:
Constable Orozco expressed immense pride in his team, noting that their bravery reflects the standards of his entire office.
"Oh absolutely, 100% proud," Orozco said. "These deputies, like I've said before, if it would have been another set of deputies from our office, they would have acted in the same brave and professional moment at that time."
The deputies remained unassuming about their lifesaving efforts, describing the recognition as a humbling experience for doing what they consider everyday work.
"It's humbling, and it's the first time in my career that I've ever been recognized for something," DeLuna said. "And know I didn't sign up for it, and I don't believe Deputy Banda signed up for it, but we knew what we were getting ourselves into. We don't know what we're going to come upon, we don't know what's going to happen, and we just have to be ready for anything every single day. It makes you feel great to understand that they're giving us recognition for something, you know, something so small at the end of the day. It's big for other people, but for us, it's everyday."
The Source: FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb gathered the information for this story by attending the ceremony and interviewing the deputy constables involved.