For three San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies, the day two terrorists went on a deadly shooting spree Dec. 2, will be a day they never forget.
Deputy Shaun Wallen recalled the moment he came face-to-face with Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik -- a husband and wife team that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at the Inland Regional Center.
"It was very, very frightening. I was very scared," Wallen said. "I exited the vehicle. Both suspects were firing at me."
The confrontation happened on San Bernardino Avenue, where he and a Redlands police officer engaged in a gun battle with Farook and Malik.
As Malik fired at the Redlands police officer from the back of the black SUV used as a getaway vehicle, Farook stood at the side of the vehicle unloading a high-powered rifle, and Wallen returned his own barrage of bullets while crouching behind his patrol car.
"That's what really scared me is it didn't even appear as if he was being struck. Later on I did find out he was struck several times," Wallen said.
Malik continued to fire at other officers and deputies. Farook then began walking down San Bernardino Avenue, and Wallen followed him.
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"Shot at him a handgun. I continued to shoot at him and he was hit several more times and he died there," Wallen said.
"As I was driving up to Deputy Wallen's vehicle, some of us exchanged fire with the female in the back of the SUV," said Deputy Bruce Southworth.
Detective Chad Johnson, Southworth's partner, immediately arrived at the scene. They focused on rescuing a wounded San Bernardino police officer.
Johnson was in a similar gun battle years earlier with former LAPD officer and cop killer Christopher Dorner. During that shootout, Johnson lost his friend Deputy Jeremiah MacKay. Both deputies did not want that to happen to any fellow law enforcement officer.
"To look around and see all of the officers around you, we're OK, was an incredible feeling," Johnson said.
After about four minutes, the gun battle came to an end with both suspects dead.
Wallen didn't realize he had been wounded by shrapnel until 12 hours later.
"We're all brothers, we all want to make sure we get home safe, and that was kind of just our main goal. It's our job and that's what we try to do," Southworth said.
