Part 2 as we talk to Rex Larson. Rex Shares his story of when a suspect shot him 2X with a shotgun and how training kicked in to save his life.
Rex Larson was born in Rolla, Missouri. When he turned 20 years old, he enrolled in the Sheriff’s Academy in Bolivar, Missouri. Rex continued to work at Port Arrowhead Marina while attending the Sheriff’s Academy. Rex would carpool to the Sheriff’s Academy with another student who was a dispatcher with the Stone County Sheriff’s Department. When he was promoted to a jailer, Rex applied for his dispatcher position and began his employment with the Stone County Sheriff’s Department. This was his first law enforcement position. Rex worked the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift, and continued to attend the Sheriff’s Academy until he graduated in August 2000. Two days later, He received his first commission from the Stone County Sheriff. Shortly after receiving his commission, Rex was promoted to jailer. After working in the jail for a few months, Rex was put in charge of training all new hires in the jail. Rex also worked with a search and rescue blood hound K-9 unit. After working in the jail for about three years, Rex was promoted to a road position. Rex worked the road until he moved back home to Laquey in late 2003.
Rex was commissioned by the Pulaski County Sheriff as a dispatcher. Two week later, Rex was moved to a road position. Rex worked the road for approximately two years, then was promoted to Corporal. Rex supervised four to five deputies at that time.
In 2004, Rex met his wife Amber, and they started dating. On the afternoon of June 8, 2006, Rex responded to a burglary call. A woman’s ex-boyfriend had barricaded himself in her home while she was out and was waiting for her to return. According to his suicide note, he planned to kill her and the first deputy to respond then commit suicide. Rex came on scene as the woman was pulling into her driveway. He instructed her to leave the location, then Rex approached the house. The perpetrator shot Rex twice in the upper body with a shotgun and then turned the gun on himself. Due to the shooting, Rex has had thirteen surgeries to remove pellets and repair nerve damage. Because the doctors were not able to remove all of the pellets, there are over two hundred pellets remaining in Rex's upper body. He struggled with intense pain for many years until he was given a Spinal Cord Stimulator. The stimulator helps to control the pain, and he is able to function somewhat normally. After a few months of recovery, Rex went back to work at the Sheriff’s Department. He was promoted to Sergeant approximately a year after his shooting. Shortly thereafter, he was third in command at the Sheriff’s Department. In February of 2007, the Laquey School District offered Rex the School Resource Officer position. He worked full time positions at both the Laquey School District and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. In August 2007, Amber and Rex were married.
Rex currently works as a Resource Officer at Laquey School District, he is in charge of the safety and security for the more than seven hundred students and staff.
Rex received the Combat Cross from Pulaski County, a Purple Heart from the National Police and Fire Chiefs’ Association and the American Police Hall of Fame. Rex is also a member of the American Police Hall of Fame.
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