Shotgunned

The Long Ordeal of a Wounded Cop Seeking Justice

Non-Fiction - True Crime
341 Pages
Reviewed on 02/14/2018
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Author Biography

Dana Owen is the author of Shotgunned, a true crime thriller that tells the story of a Massachusetts Police Officer who is shot in the line of duty. The officer is left for dead and fights for life. This story is very personal to Dana, because he was that Police Officer!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

So often, too often, we read stories about corruption in the police force, or question whether a cop did the right thing when he shot someone he believed was a threat to himself or others. We shake our heads wondering what to think about these men in uniform. That’s why it’s refreshing…not to mention important…to read an honest story like Shotgunned, the heart-touching memoir of the author, Dana Owen, a cop who nearly died fulfilling his mandate to serve and protect. When Dana and his partner, Bob, responded to the report of a hi-jacked truck, little did Dana know that shortly after he’d nearly die from two shotgun wounds to his head that would leave him suffering severe headaches for the rest of his life. Nor did he know that it would be 11 years before the robbers would receive their just deserts, which might not have happened if it wasn’t for his own dogged determination to find out who had shot him and left him for dead.

In the meantime, while Dana had the support and admiration from his fellow officers, he and Bob copped criticism from a police captain who didn’t feel they deserved accolades and medals for their valor since they hadn’t caught the perpetrators. While this hurt, it also fuelled Dana’s desire to nail these felons.Over the years, while Dana pursues whatever channels he can find, he also fills us in on what it’s really like to be a cop, the many gruesome scenes to which they are subjected, and the effects such events have on their psyches, and also on the lives of their families. It’s much too easy while we read, listen to and watch media reports to form unfair and uninformed judgements about the police, what they have done and why. It takes courageous men like Dana Owen to speak up and tell it like it really is.

Shotgunned will, of course, be of interest to other members of the force, but for those who aren’t policemen, this book will enlighten and sometimes frighten readers. If ever there was a time that the adage about walking a mile in someone’s shoes applies, it certainly does here. Shotgunned is not written by a polished author: it’s written in simple language, using dialogue and descriptions that anyone can understand and relate to…and that makes it a most enjoyable, informative read. This is one human being talking to others and we come away enriched by the conversation. Bravo to Dana Owen for telling us, and showing us what no media reports can: the heart and soul of a good cop.

Trudi LoPreto

I am not a regular fan of non-fiction books, but Shotgunned met all of my expectations and so much more. Dana Owen shared in great detail his pain, anger, intelligence and amazing police/detective work. The story begins when Owen is shot and left for almost dead, but after many months and much help he slowly recuperates and vows to find who shot him. His life goal becomes that of seeing all of the men who were part of the gang that robbed and killed be caught. He just wanted to see that each one of them got the justice they deserved. The story continues with Dana on special assignment working alongside United States Postal Inspectors, since the crime involved a stolen postal truck containing a lot of money. Many men spent all of their working days over the next eleven years following leads, talking to anyone who might have information, trying to get the case in front of the grand jury to be certain that all of the killer robbers ended up behind bars.

This is a book that can’t be described but must be read for the horrifying, intriguing story that was Dana Owen’s life. Shotgunned is truly the long ordeal of a wounded cop seeking justice, but it is so much more than that. I read with amazement, horror, joy and so many other emotions as I gained knowledge of the behind the scenes pain of a wounded policeman, his family, and the battle to regain a normal life. I cannot stress enough what a good book Shotgunned is – it is a must, must, must-read. And lastly, I say thank you, Dana Owen, for your dedication and for a job well done.

Arya Fomonyuy

Shotgunned: The Long Ordeal of a Wounded Cop Seeking Justice by Dana Owen is a gritty memoir that explores a tragedy that happened to a MDC patrolman. Just hours after celebrating a child’s birthday with his family, Dana Owen is shot as he pursues a hijacked truck with a hostage inside. The gangsters shoot him twice and leave him for dead. But he survives, and everything changes. Follow him as he relates this story of true crime and his personal struggles, fighting for life and for justice. Will he be able to bring the criminals to justice?

This is a heartbreaking story that allows the reader to understand the challenges faced by police officers and patrolmen every day in their line of duty. It is deeply moving, written in a strong and compelling voice, and is poignant in its exploration of the author’s gritty struggle to stay alive just after he is shot, and the psychological conflict that follows. The story reads like fiction and readers will be surprised to find that it is true. Dana writes with raw honesty, allowing readers to touch his vulnerability and feel the depths of his fears.

This narrative is filled with verifiable facts and newspaper clippings that give credibility to the author’s powerful voice. There were moments when I felt sorry for the protagonist and there were moments when I kept on rooting for him, but there wasn’t a single moment that I wanted to stop reading from the time I opened the book. This book should be read by everyone, so they can understand the soul of a patrol officer. Shotgunned: The Long Ordeal of a Wounded Cop Seeking Justice is well-crafted, intelligently narrated and is an inspiring read.