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"I am no hero," says man who helped save sheriff from attacker with knife

Postal worker now being nominated for special award.
Posted at 2:41 PM, Dec 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-14 18:22:15-05

Jack Harzynski, from Cheektowaga, is now being called a hero after helping save Wyoming County Sheriff Gregory Rudolph from a knife-wielding attacker.

The incident happened Tuesday morning December 11th around 6:40am.

Harzynski is a 31-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service where he currently serves as a Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) clerk.

He is also a part-time distribution manager for the Buffalo News.

While delivering newspapers with another person, Harzynski and his partner saw two men struggling in the snow on Rt. 238 in Attica.

When Harzynski got out to investigate, he heard someone yelling "Help! Help! Help!"

It was then that Harzynski realized there was a man with a knife on top of another person (the person on the ground was Wyoming County Sheriff Gregory Rudolph).

Fearful the attacker was about to stab the sheriff, Harzynski said he "bum-rushed him, grabbed him with all my might and whipped him off."

Harzynski said he and the man with the knife then faced each other for a moment - long enough to allow Sheriff Rudolph to regain his feet and subdue the attacker.

Seconds later, an off-duty New York State Trooper also arrived to help arrest the suspect.

"It was basically a "didn't think" reaction moment," explained Harzynski, 57, who is 5 foot 7 inches tall.

Lynn Hall, 48, of Castile, is now facing charges of first degree attempted murder, first degree attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Police say Sheriff Rudolph was on his way to work when Hall flashed his vehicle lights in order to get the sheriff to pull over.

Once stopped to see if assistance was needed, the sheriff's unmarked vehicle was blocked by Hall's vehicle.

The suspect, according to police, got into a physical altercation with the sheriff and tried to take the police officer's weapon.

Jack Harzynski said police investigators told him that the Lynn Hall had an illegal handgun and a loaded AR-15 assault rife inside the suspect's vehicle

Sheriff Rudolph issued a statement thanking those who helped him for their "heroic" efforts.

For Jack Harzynski, the actions created an outpouring of pride from co-workers at the William Street Post Office in Buffalo.

Those workers have now submitted Harzynski's name to U.S. Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. for consideration of the "Postmaster General Hero Award."

7 Eyewitness News Reporter Ed Reilly spoke with Jack Harzynski and and has more in the attached report.

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