Sultans Of SWAT

Sierawski led the Dallas team around the lake and into the house, where O'Connor was waiting with instructions about the proper handling of Randy, who by this time had taken some serious beatings from his rescuers.

"If you lose the dummy in the water, you gotta go get him," O'Connor said. "And don't grab him by the scruff of the neck and drag him out of the house. That's not satisfactory. You're rescuing this guy. He's not a perp."

Fully instructed, the Dallas team climbed into the boat. The whistle blew and they took off, paddling like crazy. They beached the boat and charged up the berm, slipping and sliding in the sand, then stumbled down the other side.

After that, spectators sitting on the lakeshore heard the bang of gunshots, followed by the pings of bullets hitting metal targets. Then came the sound of a battering ram smashing down a door. Then the boom of a flash-bang grenade. Then the bangs of more gunshots.

A few moments later, the Dallas guys appeared at the top of the berm, carrying Randy on their shoulders, his face down, his arms and legs dangling lifelessly.

"He got shot!" squealed Katie Todd, a 7-year-old from Dare County, N.C.

"No, he didn't," said her mother, Janet Todd, suppressing a smile.

As the Dallas team stormed down the hill, sliding in the sand, the two guys in the back fell on their butts, causing poor Randy to bounce around like a rag doll.

"He did get shot!" shrieked Katie, looking horrified.

"It's just make-believe," her mother said, giving her a hug. "It's only make-believe."