Iten employees meet the man whose life they helped save

September 14 — SAYBROOK — Iten Defense employees got a chance to see the fruits of their labor Friday morning.

Greene County Deputy Sheriff Jason Miller, a native of southwest Missouri, toured the business Friday morning.

He was working on a SWAT team on a minor drug bust when things got out of hand and he was shot. He was guarding a back door and the suspect shot him from 10 to 15 feet away. He lived to tell the tale.

The results, Miller is still alive, highlighted the work of Saybrook employees, who manufacture a variety of bulletproof products for military and law enforcement agencies across the country.

Miller said the hard armor saved his life. “It (their work) means something. I guess if I didn’t have that armor, I would have died like a hammer,” he said.

The incident occurred in June and the remains of the vest are not available because they are being held by prosecutors as evidence for a possible trial.

Cassandra Cunningham said she was touched by the email informing employees of her arrival. “I cried when we got the email because it told me we (had helped save someone’s life),” she said.

Iten Defense CEO Damon Walsh decided to bring Miller to town so his employees could see the positive impact their work has on people’s lives.

The hard armor is made from polyethylene that is rolled and compressed multiple times to catch a bullet like a catcher’s mitt, said Greg Rose, Iten Defense’s sales manager. He said a rifle armor product will consist of 70 to 90 layers of material.

He said extensive testing is done to ensure the safest possible product.

Miller said he felt like he had been stabbed in the first shooting, but realized he was OK a short time later. He said the back of his lung was bruised.

“I had a huge bruise and a huge bump,” he said.

Miller returned to work within 10 days, but could have returned in two or three days if necessary. He toured the plant on Friday morning and was due to be the company’s guest at a Guardians game today.

The suspect is awaiting trial on a charge of felony assault.

Walsh said he learned about the man’s experience through a newspaper article he read on Facebook. He added that there are two other recent life-saving stories involving Kentucky law enforcement officers.