In the early morning hours of a quiet Sunday, the routine rhythm of Norfolk Naval Shipyard was interrupted by gunfire. Moments later, Lieutenant Michael Owens, a 22-year veteran with The Hana Group, would find himself face-to-face with a life-or-death emergency to make a split-second decision—which helped save a man’s life.
It was just around 2:00 a.m. when a radio call came through: gunshots near Gate 15. Officers on post reported an SUV approaching on the wrong side of the road. When it pulled to a stop in front of the gate, the driver—wounded and bleeding—called out for help.
Lt. Owens responded immediately. “We noticed there was a dark colored SUV pulled in front with both doors open and a window shot out,” he recounted.
The young man in the vehicle was shot multiple times in both arms and legs. One bullet had pierced a major artery in his leg, and he was fading fast. Blood was pooling on the floorboard.
Instinct and training took over for Lt. Owens.
“When I looked at his leg, blood was pushing out, so I got me some gloves and I put pressure on his leg or he's gonna bleed out,” Lt. Owens said.
It was Lt. Owens who stayed in the vehicle, maintaining pressure and speaking calmly to the victim, helping him stay conscious as minutes ticked by.
“There was blood everywhere, coming through my fingers,” he said. “I just kept holding on.”
Portsmouth Police arrived to secure the scene. Paramedics soon followed. “Even the Fire Chief said he would have bled out. He said to me, 'if you hadn't applied pressure to that leg, he would have bled out.'” Owens added.
The man was transported to a Naval hospital and survived the shooting. Owens’ response and composure were credited with saving his life.
Owens attributed his ability to act under pressure to his training saying, “We’re prepared. Hana has great trainers to make sure that we know everything from first aid, shooting, hand-to-hand combat. We get great training.”
In an environment where seconds matter, Lt. Owens didn’t hesitate. Now Hana is recognizing Lt. Owens with a SPOT Award—an honor given for excellence in the field. He led. He stayed calm. And he made sure a mother's son made it home.
For Hana, this heroic moment reflects how skill and compassion are inseparable in true service. Congratulations, Lieutenant Owens. You represent the best of us.