Off-duty officer hailed a hero in Taunton rampage speaks out

By Bianca Buono

bbuono@abc6.com

@BBuonoABC6

Lt. James Creed of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department is speaking out publicly for the first time. He’s the man who stopped the horrific rampage in Taunton. He says it all happened in a matter of seconds, but that short time has changed his life forever.

"He said something to the effect of, we’re both going to die today,” said Lt. Creed in a Thursday news conference.

Creed stood alongside his wife, Laura, and Rosemary Heath. Together, they relived the traumatic events that transpired in Taunton this past May.

Rosemary and her husband George were eating dinner at Bertucci’s and just a few tables away was the Creed family. Unbeknownst to them, all of their lives were about to dramatically change.

"At first I assumed it was a boyfriend arguing, maybe a domestic,” said Lt. Creed, describing when he first heard commotion in the restaurant.

But it was Arthur DaRosa on a violent rampage. He stormed into the restaurant, grabbed a steak knife and started stabbing pregnant waitress Sheenah Savoy. When George Heath tried to help, he became the next victim.

That’s when Creed ran into the chaos and came face to face with a monster.

"I can’t even describe it he just had a strange, glazed over look in his eyes, very serious. No emotion at all really. Once he focused on me he started basically charging at me,” said Lt. Creed.

Creed used his personal gun to shoot and kill DaRosa. It was the first time he had ever used his personal firearm in a defensive situation. He put his own life in danger to stop the massacre.

"I am beyond proud. Beyond lucky. He’s my hero. He’s my best friend. He’s amazing,” said Laura Creed, Lt. Creed’s wife.

But he wasn’t the only hero that night. Laura, who’s a nurse, rushed to help the victims.

"Nurse mode kicked in and I wasn’t leaving anywhere without this guy. We’ve talked about it before. If something happens, he helps and I run, but,” Laura said.

Lt. Creed gives all of the credit to George Heath. He didn’t survive, but certainly made an impact.

"He was up and he was wrestling with Mr. DaRosa before I could even react so without George things would have been very much worse,” said Lt. Creed.

Months later, Rosemary Heath and the Creeds are still healing, trying to process what happened; but something good has come from the tragedy: a lifelong friendship.

"I love them so much. He says he’s not a hero but he is. I would not be here today, I know I would not be here today if he were not in that restaurant,” said Rosemary Heath of Lt. Creed.

A Wednesday report from the Bristol County District Attorney’s office officially cleared Creed for killing DaRosa.

© WLNE-TV 2016