A Indiana University Northwest police officer was honored Thursday for bravely continuing to protect others after being stabbed repeatedly.
Officer Ed Morrison was working an off-duty security job at an impound lot at 103rd and Doty in Chicago when he was attacked around 1 a.m. Monday, according to WLS-TV
The 22-year-old officer sustained wounds on his head and body that required 30 stitches and staples.
"Like my department keeps telling me, you can't freeze up in a situation like that," he told the news station. "You've got to live. You've got to keep fighting and survive and prevail."
Morrison's alleged attacker, 38-year-old Heriance Turman, was charged with attempted first-degree murder.
The head of the security firm the officer was working for said that video shows the attack approach him in his vehicle.
Tom Scully, director of the Fidei Group, said that Morrison rolled his window down to speak to the subject when the man began viciously attacking him with a razor.
Morrison, who was unable to grab for his gun, sped away and rushed to an office area where at least five people were working.
He stood guard despite his injuries until police arrived at the scene.
"It's either fight or flight. That's what I was taught at the academy," Morrison said. "That's what the department teaches me. I couldn't fight off the attacker. He was 275 pounds, around there. It's was time to flight. My thing was to get away."
The officer will take time to recover, but says he can't wait to get back to work.
"It's going to make me a better officer, and I'm going to use it to be a better officer," he said.
