A teenager who police say vandalized a stone memorial in New York commemorating a Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan has been arrested.
Suffolk County police say a 14-year-old boy was arrested early Friday in the vandalism at Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park in Lake Ronkonkoma on Long Island.
Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2007.
A teenager was arrested early Friday in the vandalism at Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park in Lake Ronkonkoma on Long Island
Photos show the circular stone slab bearing Murphy’s (pictured) image shattered into fragments
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was ‘appalled and disgusted’ by the vandalism
The boy faces a charge of criminal mischief.
Photos show the circular stone slab bearing Murphy’s image shattered into fragments.The park commemorating Murphy was dedicated in 2006. He died in 2005.
The park was dedicated to him in 2009 on what would have been his 30th birthday
The teen had been arrested sometime around 3am on Thursday morning, according to Fox News.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was ‘appalled and disgusted’ by the vandalism. Cuomo says the state will pay to replace the memorial.
Newsday reports that Murphy’s father, Daniel Murphy, said the family was heartbroken by the damage to the memorial.
The park was dedicated to him in 2009 on what would have been his 30th birthday.
The military serviceman was killed during a ‘reconnaissance mission’ in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005, collecting intelligence on a well-known terrorist when they were ambushed by 50-person enemy contingent.
‘Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates,’ his Summary of Action read.
The military serviceman was killed during a ‘reconnaissance mission’ in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005
His team members, Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson, had also died after two hours of fighting.
‘By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lieutenant Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle,’ the summary adds.
Marcus Luttrell, who was the only member of the Navy Seal team to survive the attack, took to Instagram to call the alleged teenage perpetrator a ‘coward.’
‘Only a coward would do this. We are matching Crime Stoppers Reward to anyone who turns in the low life who did this,’ Luttrell wrote to the social media site before the suspect’s arrest.
Marcus Luttrell, who was the only member of the Navy Seal team to survive the attack, took to Instagram to call the alleged teenage perpetrator a ‘coward’