2021 Winner
Enoch White
When a wild-eyed gunman pointed a loaded pistol in Enoch White’s face, there was one thought on his mind – keeping other people out of danger.
Enoch, 63, was on patrol in his job as a street warden when the terrifying incident unfolded last August.
He is one of eight Westside wardens who patrol the Broad Street area around the clock, helping anyone from shoppers asking for directions, to rough sleepers and revellers who may have over-indulged on a night out.
Enoch says: “Every day is different and the moment something happens we can be radioed for help. We are basically the eyes in the area. Our job is to make sure everyone who comes to Broad Street gets home safe.
“We have city pastors too who are essential to our work and can help with vulnerable people so we can get on with any incidents.”
It was shortly before midnight on a calm Monday shift when Enoch’s life came under threat.
He recalls: “It was pretty quiet. We had been called to a venue because there were a lot of beggars asking for money off people. We walked up and managed to disperse them.”
Enoch was about to go for his break, and had bought a pizza, when a car pulled up near him and his partner. Thinking the driver needed directions, Enoch walked over to the car’s open window.
He says: “The driver started shouting. I couldn’t hear what he said so I went over. I said, ‘excuse me, how can I help you?’. Next thing I knew he just pulled the gun out.
“He said, ‘You’re dead’. I looked at him and said, ‘Ok,’ and then he said, ‘No, I am going to kill you.’
“His eyes were wild, he was obviously on something and the car was rocking because he kept putting his foot on and off the brakes. As I pulled my radio out he said, ‘if you call the police, I am going to kill you.’
“My radio wasn’t working though, all I got was static so I yelled at my colleague to radio for help but he had the same problem. All the while the guy is shouting and swearing that he is going to kill me. I said to him, ‘you keep saying that but you haven’t shot me yet.’
“He was pointing the gun at me and I didn’t know if it was real or not. I remember thinking, if it’s my time to go, then it’s my time to go as I can’t outrun a bullet.”
By now traffic was building up behind the gunman, who had stopped his car in the middle of the road. As other drivers sounded their horns, Enoch was worried that the gunman would turn on them, so he calmly directed traffic around the car, all while being held at gunpoint himself.
It was just after this that the driver sped away. Despite his own terror, Enoch memorised his number plate and flagged down a passing police car.
Thanks to his calm, decisive actions, and presence of mind, police arrested the gunman just 20 minutes later.
When the man’s car was searched, the scale of the danger Enoch had been in became clear.
He says: “It was only later that I heard the gun was loaded and the whole of the passenger seat footwell was full of ammunition. He had previous gun offences and I am sure he had the intention to take someone’s life that night.”
Enoch, who has also taught aspiring actors at Birmingham Theatre School for 25 years, says his training helped keep him calm, as well as his attitude to life. “I take every day as it comes. I am always laughing and joking around and if something is going to happen it’s going to happen.
“You never know how you are going to react in a situation like that. Maybe on a different day I would have acted differently.
“I don’t see myself as a hero, I just did what I had to do.”