WEBSTER, N.Y. -- A recently started online petition is requesting that the four West
Webster firefighters shot on Christmas Eve be honored with the Medal of
Freedom.
The petition was posted Dec. 28 on a government website
by Paul H. It seeks the recognition for Webster Police Lt. Michael
Chiapperini, Tomasz Kaczowka, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino,
the volunteer firefighters who were shot while answering a call for
assistance Dec. 24, 2012.
MORE: Thousands attend funeral for Webster, N.Y., firefighter
Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were killed. Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino were injured in the shooting.
The Medal of Freedom is the "nation's highest
civilian honor to individuals who made especially meritorious
contributions to security or national interests of the United States, to
world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private
endeavors."
The petition has already received thousands
of signatures. In order for it to be reviewed by a White House staff
member it must receive 25,000 signatures, according to the
website (
http://1.usa.gov/TLIShk).
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle