A local department is mourning the loss of a historic law enforcement hero who has passed away from service-related cancer.
The officer is Arlington County Police Department Corporal Barry Foust. Passing away on May 22 at the age of 64, it has been confirmed that his death was a direct result of toxic exposure suffered while assisting recovery efforts at the Pentagon following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
In an announcement by the Arlington County Police Department, Foust’s passing has been recognized as an official line-of-duty death. Officials note that Foust was the exact patrol officer responsible for initiating the entire regional emergency response to the attack on the nation’s military headquarters.
What Was Foust’s Role on 9/11?
On the morning of September 11, Foust was on routine patrol at the intersection of Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike when American Airlines Flight 77 was intentionally crashed into the building. While he did not see the plane strike the structure directly, he rolled down his window to listen for an impact and immediately spotted a massive plume of smoke rising over the horizon. He grabbed his radio microphone, alerted dispatch to a downed plane to his east, and cleared local roadways so medical helicopters could land safely at the site…