Philadelphia Police officer Jesse Hartnett received the “Man of the Year” award Wednesday night. NBC10’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas spoke to him in his first on-camera interview since surviving an ambush shooting in January.
PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE NPDF AND IT’S PROGRAM SERVICES WHICH INCLUDE THE OPERATION KIDS AND SAFE COP PROGRAMS.
The 2016 NPDF Awards Dinner is scheduled for May 4, 2016 at Russo’s on the Bay located in Howard Beach, New York. This prestigious award recognizes the valor and heroism demonstrated by Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett during an assassination attempt on his life by a suspected Islamic terrorist on January 7, 2016. << read full press release here>>
The American public was outraged when news reports showed an unprovoked attack upon a uniformed Philadelphia police officer as he patrolled the streets of his city at night. The suspect, an Islamic radical armed with a stolen gun, began shooting at the officer as he was seated in his patrol car resulting in serious gunshot wounds to his upper body. The officer, screaming in pain but undeterred, transmitted over the police radio, “I’m bleeding heavenly” as he exited his patrol car and immediately returned fire, striking his would be assassin twice, resulting in his arrest.
As a result of Police Officer Hartnett’s valor and meritorious service, he will be honored by the National Police Defense Foundation along with other distinguished honorees that includes “Woman of the Year” Mary Jo Buczek who established in the memory of her brother the “NYPD Police Officer Michael Buczek Little League”.