Minneapolis resident Alex Mingus never imagined he would be honored by local police for saving a man's life and turning the award ceremony at a local police station into a viral political protest.

The Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) praised his efforts and awarded Mingus the Chief's Medal of Valor at a ceremony in front of a police station in town.

"The police should be glad it was so cold," he explained, "Because this was bringing up George Floyd all over again. People would have been out in the streets the same way if it wasn't in the Minnesota winter."

Mingus continued by saying that Black people have "been the bigger person" when standing up to police violence but wanted to remind folks that "peaceful protests were met with violence and arrests."

The Minneapolis School District paraprofessional was taking his wife to work when they heard nearby gunshots. Mingus followed a vehicle he thought might have been involved in the incident and pulled into a parking lot. A man got out of the van Mingus had tailed and asked for help.

The brave man used clothing to staunch the man's bleeding, and doctors confirmed that his assistance saved the injured man's life.

Mingus promised to give his medal and certificate to his mother and son.