On what seemed like a regular day, retired cop brothers Kenneth and Axel Dodson visited the birth home of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. The house in Atlanta is a popular historical site where the legend lived his first 12 years. Therefore, the brothers visited the tourist site for sightseeing and appreciation.
However, they had no other choice but to spring back into action when someone alerted them of an alleged arsonist. The unidentified woman reportedly tried to burn down the home and had already poured gasoline around the building before a witness saw her. Once she realized someone had seen her, she took off running.
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Unluckily for her, the retired cops still had some vim in them. In a quick exchange, they decided to follow her immediately. They got in their cars and followed her down the street as she was trying to rob away. When she tried climbing a fence, Axel jumped out of the car and chased her on foot. Not long after, he caused her and pinned her to the ground.
After this, the brothers brought her back to the King’s home, where they waited for the Atlanta police to arrive. According to the authorities, she is a U.S. Navy Veteran who served for four years before leaving in 2020. They charged her with attempted arson and interference with government property and held her at the Fulton County Jail.
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To show gratitude, the NYPD held a ceremony to honor the brothers with Outstanding Citizens Awards. In her speech, NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella said,
“We say when you see something, say something. Not only did they see something, they did something. And for that, we commend you, and we thank you.”
The NYPD Chief of Patrol, John Chell, also applauded the brothers for their bravery even as they were retired. He said, “They might’ve been retired that day, but they immediately put themselves on duty.” To him, the brothers “saved a part of American history” with their selfless deed.
The brothers themselves also felt quite proud of their achievement. “You know, I made a collar with my little brother,” Kenneth Dodson said in his speech. “No matter how long you’ve been gone – I’ve been gone for some time – your policing kicks in. I always hoped that we would work together, and years later, we did for one day.”
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Coincidentally, the brothers had a prior conversation about how much they missed working in the force not long before the incident. Kenneth told his father that he missed being in action and helping people along the way. To him, what made the moment special wasn’t only that he was able to help but because he did it with his brother by his side.
According to him, Axel has always looked up to him and wanted to be a cop just like his older brother. Thanks to the brothers, the historic home is still standing with no permanent damages done to it because they stopped the woman before she could burn it to the ground.
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