SAN DIEGO -- For the 19th year in a row, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office honored local residents at its Citizens of Courage awards luncheon.

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The six residents who were honored came to aid of crime victims and then became victims themselves. In one case, a woman asked some people for help, saying she didn't want to leave a College area bar with her ex-boyfriend.

Award recipient Julian Cristo-Lucero said he didn't know the woman, but his wife begged him to step in and help her.

"I told this man that she wasn't going to go with him, that she was going to stay here with us," Lucero said.

A short time later, the woman's ex-boyfriend pulled out a gun and shot at Lucero's car while he and his wife were inside the vehicle.

"One of the bullets went through the car door and got stuck in the back of my seat.…..It only missed me by about an inch or 2 inches," Lucero said.

For putting their lives at risk, both Lucero and his wife, Julian, were among those honored by the District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.

Joseph Hake also put his life in danger to help a young woman, NBC 7/39 reported. He came across the woman, who was crying hysterically in a Mission Beach market.

"She explained her boyfriend had thrown her on the ground," Hake said. "She tried to get up. He then spit in her face took her cell phone, then threw it."

Within moments, her boyfriend came back to the scene.

"Next thing, I knew, I was pushed up against the doors of the market, and he hit me with his fist on the left side of my face," Hake said.

Hake was knocked unconscious. When he work up, he was alone and had a concussion, fractured eye socket and broken nose.

"Looking back, if I had to do it again, I certainly would," Hake said.

Hake was also honored on Tuesday for his courage.

"My hope is that this inspires others to reach out and help others when they're in trouble," Hake said.

Those honored received a trophy from the district attorney and proclamations from Mayor Jerry Sanders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.