RAPID CITY, S.D. - A retired South Dakota National Guardmember was one of those who subdued the gunman who killed six people and shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Jan. 8 in Tucson.
Bill Badger, 74, a former Army colonel who now lives in the Tucson area, tackled suspect Jared Loughner – even though Badger himself was hit and wounded by one of the rounds fired during the shooting.
His military training took over after he was first shot and then faced the suspected shooter, Badger said.
Badger lived in Pierre, S.D., from 1965 to 1973. He was in the South Dakota National Guard, flying helicopters and fixed-base aircraft. Three children, sons Tim and Brady Badger and daughter Jody Hardwick, all still live in Pierre and another, Lonnie Badger, lives in Sioux Falls.
Badger, who still visits South Dakota and went pheasant hunting this fall, said he communicates regularly with Giffords and her office.
He was invited to attend Saturday's meet-and-greet that the Congresswoman was holding in a Safeway Grocery Store parking lot.
Badger was waiting to speak with the Congresswoman and talking to other people when he first heard the shots, he said.
When Badger looked, suspected shooter Jared Loughner had already shot the Congresswoman, a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl, Badger said.
"He was just coming right down the line, he wasn't walking, he was just aiming and just shooting everybody that was sitting in a chair there," Badger said. "Some of them who were being hit were falling over, and the rest started to hit the pavement."
As Badger tried to get to the ground, he felt "a burning sensation" in the back of his head and knew he had been hit by a bullet.
Once Badger heard the shooting stop, he stood up and saw Loughner standing in front of him, going right to left.
As the suspect walked past by Badger, one person hit Loughner with a folding chair. At the same time, Badger and other man grabbed Loughner by the arms and shoulders, pushing him to the pavement.
They kept him there until police arrived.
During the takedown, Badger saw Loughner try to throw away a small Zip-Loc bag full of money and personal identification, Badger said. He pointed out the bag to law enforcement.
Badger, one of 19 people injured in the shooting, didn't have time to worry about being killed, he said.
The military training he first learned in Pierre took over, he said. Badger stresses he is no hero, but just did what anybody would have done, while also surviving.
"I have to be the luckiest person in the world," he said. "Some individual told me I should go and buy a lottery ticket.
“I said, ‘I just won the lottery by not being killed.’"
Son Tim Badger of Pierre said he and his siblings are proud of their father and thankful he was not seriously hurt. Tim Badger said they are not surprised that their father tried to help others.
As a Christmas present this year, Tim Badger gave his father an airline ticket to fly to Rapid City this coming weekend to see his grandson, Landon, for the first time play in a PeeWee hockey game.
Bill Badger says he plans to be there on Saturday – exactly one week after the shooting.