Government

Congressmember Donovan awards U.S. marshal with Congressional Badge of Bravery

January 22, 2016 Jaime DeJesus
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Jaime DeJesus
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Awarding a hero at Fort Hamilton.

Congressmember Dan Donovan, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers, Fort Hamilton Base Commander Colonel Joe Davidson were among those who honored Deputy U.S. Marshal Patrick Lin with the Congressional Badge of Bravery on Friday, January 22, for his heroic actions in the face of danger.

“Due to Deputy Marshal Lin’s heroics, this country, this city and certainly all of us here are a lot safer and I want to thank him,” said Donovan. “There is a difference between good and bad. Sometimes, it’s as black and white as what we’re here to celebrate today. U.S. marshals chase bad guys and bring them to justice. In Deputy U.S. Marshal Lin’s case, he and his team tracked down a fugitive connected with a child molestation case to get a bad guy off of our streets. It’s really an incredible story.”

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During the afternoon of July 28, 2014, members of the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force tracked a fugitive to a smoke shop in Manhattan and established surveillance. A plainclothes investigator on the team entered the shop and positively identified the fugitive as the lone employee inside.

An arrest team then entered the shop. The fugitive — who had been on the run for two years and was wanted for violating conditions of a $1 million bail by failing to appear in court on child molestation charges — resisted and drew a gun, shooting Lin and two others.

“Even after a bullet hit him in the thigh, Deputy Marshal Lin managed to fire back, hitting the fugitive 10 times and saving others’ lives,” Donovan said. “We’re here to honor his bravery and his extraordinary actions under fire. I myself have an eight-month-old daughter. I can sleep better knowing that there are men and women out there every day like Deputy Marshal Lin, protecting all of us.”

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Jaime DeJesus
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Jaime DeJesus

Lin was humbled to receive the badge, and gave much of the credit to the entire team. “I’m so honored to receive this award, but I accept it on behalf of the entire team. We in law enforcement understand that this is a team effort,” he said. “The bravery, courage and actions they took that day are the reason why all of us are here today so I truly want to thank you guys for doing what you did.”

Capers also took the time to thank Lin and the other members of the task force. “Those who know [Lin] know he would say that he’s not a hero. He’s just an ordinary guy, but we know that’s not true,” he said. “When all hell was breaking loose, he faced the storm and returned fire, neutralizing the threat to him and for his partners.”

Towards the end of the ceremony, Lin received the badge, a certificate and a letter from the U.S. Director of the US Marshals Services David Harlow. “You put your life at risk and sustained a serious gunshot injury that day to ensure that a dangerous fugitive was no longer a threat,” the letter read. “I commend you for your courage in a hostile situation.”

The fugitive  in question was profiled on CNN’s program “The Hunt with John Walsh.”

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Jaime DeJesus
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Jaime DeJesus

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