A bystander in a wild shootout on Main Avenue in the early morning hours of Sept. 4 would have died without the swift action of four Renton Police officers.

The four officers were recognized Monday night by the City Council for their life-saving efforts outside Pounders Bar and Grill. Two Des Moines men have been charged with first-degree assault in the shooting.

Honored were Officers Thaddeus Kerkhoff, Jason Trader, Kelly Matsukawa and Edward Chang.

Friends and family, as well as fellow police officers, many of whom also responded to the shooting, watched as the awards were presented and took photos.

The commendations were presented by Mayor Denis Law after Tim Troxel, deputy chief in charge of Field Operations for the Police Department, took the council and the audience through the chaotic scene outside Pounders.

Officers had to secure the scene before medics could tend to the wounded.

Numerous officers arrived on Main Avenue after the shooting was called in almost immediately by Trader, who was patrolling nearby. Among those responding were Kerkhoff, who was presented the department’s Distinguished Service Medal for displaying outstanding courage in the performance of duty.

Kerkhoff’s award is the second-highest given by the department. The highest is the Medal of Valor, twice awarded to Officer Larry Strauss, who has retired.

Troxell related the situation facing Kerkhoff. One shooting victim, identified in court documents as Ian Valiente, was bleeding profusely from a leg wound.

Kerkhoff applied direct pressure to Valiente’s leg wound, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Kerkhoff then got a belt from someone in the crowd to use as a tourniquet. As he tightened that belt, it broke. He obtained a second belt and tied it around Valiente’s leg.

Kerkhoff’s second try stopped the bleeding. Valiente was taken Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

An emergency room physician at Harborview said that without the tourniquet the victim would have died, Troxell said.

“Officer Kerkhoff put his safety aside to treat a severely wounded victim. His quick thinking and immediate action saved the victim’s life,” Renton Police sergeants Christine Mathews and Steve Ritchie wrote in nominating Kerkhoff for the commendation.

Kerkhoff has two year’s experience with the police force.

Officers Trader, Matsukawa and Chang received the Police Department’s Meritorious Service Medal.

The shooting occurred at about 1:30 a.m. in the 200 block of Main Avenue South. Renton Police investigators found 40 9 mm shell casings in the roadway and sidewalk area in front of Pounders. They determined the bullets were fired by three guns. One handgun was recovered.

Four of the five shooting victims were hospitalized.

Two men – who are brothers in law living in Des Moines – were charged with three counts of assault. Vannak Rann was released on $200,000 bail and Johnny Rourn remains in jail on $200,000 bail, according to county online jail records.

More than 100 individuals were on the street, in front of Pounders or in parking lots when Trader arrived. Whoever did the shooting was still in the crowd.

“Officer Trader’s quick thinking and calm demeanor with his initial radio transmissions had significant impact on the successful outcome of this incident,” Troxel told the council.

As the first officer on scene, Trader requested outside agency assistance, gave suspect and victim information and handled the scene until the arrival of the sergeant, Troxel said.

“He then led the K9 track that captured one of the shooting suspects and returned to assist at the highly volatile crime scene,” Troxel said.

Officers Kerkhoff, Chang and Matsukawa quickly arrived.

Chang and Matsukawa assisted at the scene “involving a very angry and confused crowd, by rendering aid to other victims and then helping Officer Kerkhoff carry his critically injured victim to a secure area south of Pounders for further treatment by King County Medics,” Troxel said.

In writing the nominations, the two sergeants wrote:

“Officers Chang and Matsukawa also put their safety aside, when all three officers carried the victim to safety through an extremely volatile scene. Officer Kerkhoff unquestionably saved the victim’s life. He was directly assisted by Officer Chang and Officer Matsukawa. Officer Trader provided clear and concise initial information about the incident and ultimately captured one of the suspects.”

Troxel said the four officers “performed admirably” during a life-threatening incident.

“Some would argue that what they did went beyond the normal demands of police work. The danger to them as well as the victims was obvious,” he said.

The officers, he said, “knowingly placed the safety and health of these citizens and victims ahead of their own.”