NYPD Detective Peter Figoski, Shot In Line Of Duty, Awarded Medal of Honor
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The greatest honor. The greatest sacrifice.
The NYPD awarded its medal of honor to the late Detective Peter Figoski, who was killed responding to a burglary last December.
With his family in attendance, including his four daughters, his wife, his parents, and his brother, Detective Figoski received the city's highest symbol of appreciation, CBS 2's Don Dahler reported.
"Our first award is the Medal of Honor. It is awarded for acts of gallantry and valor performed at imminent personal hazard to life with knowledge that the risk involved is above and beyond the call of duty," said Chief of Department Joseph Esposito.
It was Monday, December 12th last year at 2 o'clock in the morning. Then-police officer Peter Figoski and his partner responded to a burglary call in Brooklyn. A struggle ensued and Officer Figoski was shot point blank, later dying from his wounds.
That same month he was posthumously promoted to detective. The Medal of Honor was accepted by Figoski's father Frank.
For his family, the city's gratitude doesn't make up for their loss, but the recognition is important to them. Figoski's brother, Robert, is a retired NYPD officer.
"It's well appreciated. The pain will never go away. It means a lot to know that though -- it really does," Robert Figoski said.
It is pain that is shared by his fellow officers.
"How do you deal with the loss of a fallen officer? It's extremely difficult. This is a family," said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
If there's one bright spot to this tragedy, maybe it's that Detective Figoski's daughters will grow up knowing that their father was a true hero and truly loved by the men and women with whom he served.
"His four girls were everything to him. They were his life," said Robert Figoski.
Detective Figoski's partner, Detective Glenn Estrada, who chased down and apprehended the suspected shooter, was awarded the medal for valor.
The late Officer Alain Schaberger, who was killed when he fell into a stairwell during a struggle with a domestic violence suspect, also received the Medal of Honor.
