Peter Faatz Memorial Junior Award

The ISRPA Highpower Peter Faatz Memorial Junior Award honors Peter Faatz, Atlanta Police officer killed in the line of duty in August, 2006. Peter was a highpower shooter from a young age, one of our Junior Champions.

Peter was born in 1976 and began shooting High-Power when he was 10 years old.  He attended the matches held at Brownsburg and shot a 30 carbine.  The objective of the first match was to determine his interest in Hi-Power and hold minute of backstop.  He quickly progressed to keeping all of his shots on the paper and then to all of his shots in the scoring rings.  The next summer he had an AR 15.  At the time the heaviest bullet was the 69 gr., and the AR just wasn't as good as the best M1A.  He put about 700 rounds through the AR and wanted a "real rifle."  The AR was sold to make way for a Match Grade M1A, then a supermatch, double lugged, M1A with a Mc Millan stock.  The rifle weighed 13 pounds.  He was 12 at the time and still managed the M1A.  His biggest problem was removing the magazine because of his hand width.  He learned to hit the magazine release and magazine with a running start of his hand. 

The State Association furnished Peter with ammunition, and he was on the junior team.

At 14 the Marine Corp Junior Marksmanship program granted him an exemption so he could attend their clinic.  This was wonderful.  He was in the presence of the best Marine Corp shooters, and juniors.  He came back very pumped.  He attended again the following year, and the scores continued to improve.

During this time, he won the Junior High Power Championship in two successive years.    At the time he was just shy of making High Master.  College interrupted his High Power shooting.

Later he joined the Marine Corps. He served as a firearms instructor, both rifle and pistol.  He received a commendation for all 100% qualification all of his students.  He was a MP in the Marines and while at Fort Leonard Wood he set the range record for the service pistol.  

He eventually became a police officer with the Atlanta Police Department. He finished first in his class for Marksmanship.  He was always willing to help others with his shooting.

Peter died from the result of a car accident while responding to an emergency call.  He was 29 years old.

Peter loved shooting High Power.  One of things he appreciated most was, "They never treated me as a kid."