Merit award presented to two Nebraskans for stopping November kidnapping

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Sometimes, you are called upon at the times you least expect it.

This was the case for Andrew Pfeifer and Joshua Rotert back in November after they prevented a woman from being kidnapped on November 19 at 2:23 a.m. 

After a night in downtown Lincoln, the pair were able to subdue an Oklahoma man in a parking garage off Q and Canopy Streets after he assaulted and attempted to kidnap the woman. 

Pfeifer said there was no doubt in his or Rotert’s mind to help the woman out, and instinct took over at the moment. 

The duo was granted a community meritorious conduct award presented by the Lincoln police department.

While Pfeifer was grateful for the award, he said he wanted to ensure some good came out of the incident.

“Even though this award came out of a tragedy, I don’t wish to look at it that way,” he said. “I wish to look at it as a celebration that everyone is safe and okay and justice was served.”

Rotert echoed Pfeifer’s mindset on being called into action and did not know what his choice would be in a situation like the one he found himself in that night.

“I’ve always wondered how I would react in a situation of fight or flight and there wasn’t a second thought in my mind,” Rotert said.  “It was just, ‘We needed to act. We needed to catch him.’”

Both wanted to call to mind Pfeifer’s father who helped the woman after the assault, and the police for the quick response time. 

Five other Lincoln citizens were presented with community member awards handed out by the Lincoln Police Department.