[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 113 (Monday, July 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H7825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PASSING OF RUSSEL TIMOSHENKO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, early in the morning on Saturday, July 7, I 
awoke to an unusual sound; it was the sound of a police helicopter 
circling over the community in which I reside. Typically, when you hear 
a police helicopter you know that something has gone wrong in the 
community. They are usually searching for a suspect in a crime.
  Today, I stand before this body and before you, Mr. Speaker, with a 
heavy heart. The reason behind that circling was the injuring, critical 
injuring of an officer, a police officer. And it is with a heavy heart 
that I stand before you today to honor the life and contribution of a 
fallen hero, a great American patriot, New York Police Officer Russel 
Timoshenko. Last weekend, he was tragically shot in the face and the 
neck and succumbed to those fatal gunshots this weekend.
  Officer Timoshenko was born in Belarus and immigrated to the United 
States in the early 1990s, when he was only 7 years old.
  Upon his graduation from Tottenville High School in Staten Island, 
New York, Russel attended City College and majored in economics while 
playing on the lacrosse team. I understand, like myself, he loved to 
dance.
  Prior to completing his studies, he decided to become a New York City 
police officer. During his short career on the force, Officer 
Timoshenko made 15 arrests. And although Officer Timoshenko had only 
been on the force for 1\1/2\ years, his commitment to protect and serve 
the least and the greatest in our community embodied the true sentiment 
of a public servant, and he was highly regarded among his colleagues.
  Officer Timoshenko and his partner, Officer Herman Yan, were both 
shot during a routine traffic stop in Brooklyn in the early morning of 
Saturday, July 7. Officer Yan survived because of his bulletproof vest, 
and I pray for his continued speedy recovery. Unfortunately, Officer 
Timoshenko was shot in the head, and the two bullets that struck him 
cut across his spinal cord just beneath his brain. Officer Timoshenko 
did not survive his wounds.
  Officer Timoshenko's untimely death was a direct result of the 
proliferation of illegal guns in my community. His life was taken in 
service to our city and in pursuit of his oath to protect and serve. 
And, in so doing, there are three less illegal handguns on the streets 
of New York.
  I stand with the New York City Police Chief, Commissioner Kelly, 
Mayor Bloomberg, and Governor Spitzer in the fight against illegal gun 
trafficking into our city, and also in aggressively working to make our 
neighborhoods safe to live, work, and play.
  To the parents and family of Officer Timoshenko, please accept our 
thanks for sharing him with us. Thank you for allowing us the 
opportunity to share the life of such a fine human being. And on behalf 
of New York's 11th Congressional District, I offer my sincerest 
condolences, and pray that God will grant the family comfort and peace 
at this time.

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