Meet Lt. Brian Murphy: Park Slope’s Bravest (Former) Resident of 2012

Photo via Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office

In the wake of the tragic shooting at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin last weekend, details began to emerge about the events that took place that day, and one story of heroism hits particularly close to our Park Slope stoops.

Lt. Brian Murphy, 51, was born and raised in Park Slope, and has since become a 21-year veteran of the Oak Creek police force in Wisconsin.  The first to respond to the attack at the temple,  Lt. Murphy was shot nine times by the gunman while tending to an injured victim. In the ultimate act of selflessness, Lt. Murphy instructed responders to treat other wounded worshippers before being treated himself, despite the fact that he lay bleeding on the ground.

"Imagine what a tough, street-smart New York Irishman police officer is like," Former Oak Creek police chief Thomas Bauer recently told USA today, "and that is Brian Murphy, complete with the Bronx accent." Chief Bauer totally confused Brooklyn for the Bronx, but in this instance we'll excuse it.

Murphy, whose brother recently retired from the New York City police department, was reported to be in surgical intensive care at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. His wife and adult daughter are currently by his side. All of us in Park Slope wish Lt. Murphy the speediest of recoveries.  Though the lieutenant now calls Milli-walk-ay his home,  Park Slope would be honored to give him a hero’s welcome and wishes him a speedy recovery.