Friendship Forged Between Widow And Sheriff's Deputy Who Ended Taunton Rampage

TAUNTON (CBS) -- The off-duty Plymouth County Sheriff's Deputy who killed an armed man who went on a stabbing rampage in Taunton earlier this year recalled the horror of the tragic day at a news conference Thursday.

"As he was charging at me he said something to the effect of 'we're both going to die today,'" Sheriff's Deputy James Creed said.

Creed shot and killed Arthur DaRosa inside the Bertucci's restaurant in the Silver City Galleria in May after DaRosa fatally stabbed two people and wounded others.

Creed said he ordered DaRosa to drop his knife numerous times and only shot DaRosa after he charged at him.

The final report into the events that night, released Wednesday by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, found Creed did the right thing.

Creed distances himself from the word 'hero,' reserving that title instead to George Heath, the restaurant patron who died protecting a pregnant waitress from the rampage.

"George selflessly intervened within seconds without even knowing what was going on," Creed said. "He was wrestling with DaRosa before I could even react, so without George it would've been much worse."

Creed was having dinner with his wife Laura when DaRosa entered the restaurant. Laura, a nurse, rushed to help the pregnant waitress and George Heath after both were injured.

"It was just nurse-mode kicked in, and I realized I wasn't leaving anywhere without this guy," Laura Creed said, glancing at her husband.

Rosemary Heath credits both her husband and the Creeds for their heroic actions.

"If Jim wasn't there, I would've been next, he was so close to me, I know it," she said. "I'm thankful every day."

Through the trauma of that night, a new friendship was born between the Creed family and Rosemary Heath. Creed even named his new K-9 Heath in honor of George.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports