Niagara County Sheriff's deputy Joseph Tortorella will be in Washington, DC on Monday to receive the Presidential Medal of Valor.  President Obama will make the presentation at the White House to Tortorella and four other police officers from across the country.

Tortella is being recognized for his actions in April of last year when he confronted a Wheatfield man who had shot his parents in their Errick Road home.  Tortella returned fire after the man shot the deputy in his bullet-proof vest.  The man was later found dead inside the home of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tortella's actions prevented the gunman from harming any of the students or staff at the nearby Errick Road Elementary School.  By coincidence, Deputy Tortella's wife is a teacher at the school and his two children are students there.

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Presidential Medal of Valor [United States Department of Justice photo][/caption]The Presidential Medal of Valor is presented to law enforcement officers whose actions are:

  • Above and beyond the call of duty.
  • Exhibit exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind.
  • Unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her personal safety, in an attempt to save or protect human life.

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