[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13238]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING A MINNESOTA HERO

  (Mr. EMMER of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank 
a true American hero, Jason Falconer, for his bravery during a time of 
grave crisis in Minnesota.
  This past weekend, terror struck our community when an attacker, whom 
the Islamic State took responsibility for, stepped into the Crossroads 
Center mall in St. Cloud with an evil intention: to kill innocent 
Minnesotans. The targets of this malicious plan were parents and their 
children, college students taking a break from their studies, and mall 
employees, all of whom found themselves suddenly trapped in a horrible 
nightmare.
  This cowardly attacker had already stabbed 10 victims and may have 
succeeded in taking life if it were not for the heroic actions of an 
off-duty Avon police officer, Jason Falconer, who confronted and shot 
the attacker-terrorist before he could do more harm.
  Mr. Speaker, words cannot adequately express the gratitude those of 
us in my State have for Jason Falconer. He stepped in when he was 
needed most and protected those around him without even the slightest 
hesitation or concern for his own safety. During such troubling times, 
it is a comfort to know that there are true heroes like Jason Falconer 
among us.
  Thank you, Jason, and God bless you.

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