KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Olathe East School Resource Officer Erik Clark will receive the Award of Valor from the National Association of School Resource Officers for his actions during a shooting at the school two months ago.
“The national award recognizes a school resource officer (SRO; specially trained law enforcement officer assigned to work in schools) for a single act of courage and valor above and beyond that normally expected of an SRO or school staff member,” the organization said in a news release announcing the award.
Clark helped apprehend a student who brought a gun to school March 4 and opened fire in an assistant principal’s office.
Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Kaleb Stoppel was confronting Jaylon Elmore — an 18-year-old who has subsequently been charged with attempted capital murder — after receiving a tip that he’d brought a gun to school.
According to court records, Elmore refused to let Stoppel search his bag.
When Clark entered the office to assist with the search, Elmore allegedly reached inside, pulled out the gun and opened fire.
Clark returned fire, striking Elmore, who would spend more than two months in the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
He was released from the hospital this week and booked into the Johnson County Adult Detention Center, where he made an appearance Tuesday in Olathe Municipal Court on unrelated charges.
Both Stoppel and Clark also suffered minor injuries in the exchange of gunfire, but both were treated and released the day of the incident.
“In March of this year, Officer Clark faced every school resource officer’s worst nightmare when he was confronted and shot by an armed student,” NASRO executive director Mo Canady said. “Despite being wounded, Officer Clark managed to return fire, provide aid to another victim, and secure the scene all while preventing further violence from occurring.”
Clark will receive the Award of Valor at a ceremony July 4 during the 2022 National School Safety Conference in Aurora, Colorado.
Clark and Stoppel were previously recognized for their heroic efforts by congressional resolutions.
The gun Elmore allegedly brought to school and used in the shooting was an unregistered, self-assembled weapon also known as a “ghost gun.”
