Indianapolis Police Officer Who Survived Shootout With Murder Suspect Becomes Latest AMW All-Star Finalist

Patrolman Jason Fishburn, a five-year-veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, has been selected as a finalist in the 2009 AMW All-Star contest, sponsored by Sprint. The contest recognizes outstanding achievements by first responders, and members of the public who voted at the America's Most Wanted website, AMW.com, recognized Patrolman Fishburn's bravery in the face of extreme danger.

On July 10, 2008, Patrolman Fishburn was involved in a manhunt for a suspect in three murders. When he stopped a car believed to be carrying the suspect, the man jumped out of the vehicle and began to run. During the chase that followed, the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired, wounding Patrolman Fishburn twice, once in the chest and once in the head. Officers fired back, wounding the suspect and taking him into custody. Jason Fishburn is currently on leave and recovering from his near-fatal wounds. Indianapolis/ Marion County awarded him a Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart for his heroism in the line of duty.

Patrolman Fishburn won the public's votes to become the fifth of eight weekly finalists in the AMW All-Star Contest. Any first responder, such as police, firefighter or EMT, is eligible for the contest, and any member of the public can nominate and vote for their favorite first responder online at AMW.com.

Each weekly finalist will be profiled on America's Most Wanted (Saturdays, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX). Through their online votes, the public will choose the grand-prize winner. In May, AMW Host John Walsh will present the 2009 AMW All-Star winner with a check for $10,000 at the NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series™ All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nominations are open at AMW.com until April 4, 2009. Members of the public may vote for their favorite first responder once a day, every day. Finalist voting runs through April 12, and the grand-prize winner voting will run April 16-May 5.