August 10, 2014

OAK CREEK – Lieutenant Brian Murphy and Officer Sam Lenda received several standing ovations during a ceremony at the Oak Creek Community Center on Wednesday.  They are credited with ending the attack on the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin just six minutes after the first 911 call.

“I think all of us remember where we were on August 5, 2012,” said Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi.

Murphy and Lenda received the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery.

“I simply want to thank these two men and our law enforcement personnel who do this to keep us safe,” said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

The attacker shot Murphy more than a dozen times.

Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) to introduce the Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act of 2014, legislation that would encourage states to remove firearms from domestic abusers.

The senators presented their bill at a press conference where they were joined by Merry Jackson, whose daughter Lori Jackson was shot and killed this year by her estranged husband, who was under a temporary restraining order at the time. Kaine shared the story of Deborah Wigg, a Virginia Beach resident who was tragically shot and killed in 2011 by her separated husband, who, despite being arrested and issued a restraining order for domestic violence against Deborah, never had his gun confiscated as federal law requires.

“I’m proud to help introduce the Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act of 2014 in the Senate,” said Kaine. “Domestic violence fatalities are far too common in Virginia, and they are often at the hands of gun violence. By focusing on individuals already subject to a temporary or domestic violence restraining order, this commonsense legislation provides critical protection to abuse victims, especially women, who are five times more likely to be killed by their domestic abuser if the abuser owns a gun.”