Name: Mary Linda Moss

City: Los Angeles, CA


Mary Linda Moss is an artist, an entrepreneur, my neighbor, and a hero. On a typical Saturday afternoon, in July of 2018, Mary Linda was at a local supermarket, shopping for groceries when chaos ensued. Following an altercation and a car chase, a man entered the store and began exchanging gunfire with the police outside. The store patrons, along with Mary Linda, became hostages in the standoff.


Mary Linda, being the calm, kind, compassionate leader that she is, engaged with the gunman, and became the mediator between him and the police via cellphone. Sensing that he was looking for a way out of the situation alive, she kept the gunman, and the other hostages calm while slowing the police down and managing the situation.


Mary Linda leads with her heart. She is brave, and strong, and she saved lives that day with her compassion. Angelinos are lucky to be able to call her a neighbor, and I am so proud to call her a friend.


(There are a number of accounts of the story which do it more justice.)

https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-abcarian-hostage-20180803-story.html

https://www.wbur.org/kindworld/2020/04/28/marylinda-moss