[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17718-17719]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        TRIBUTE TO VICTOR PEREZ

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
thanking Fresno resident Victor Perez for his valiant actions that 
resulted in the rescue of an eight-year-old kidnapping victim and the 
arrest of her alleged kidnapper.
  I know I am joined by the victim's family and friends, the Fresno 
Police Department, the entire Fresno community and so many others 
across the country in offering my deepest appreciation to Mr. Perez for 
his bravery, his quick thinking and his willingness to put himself in 
harm's way to protect a child.
  Mr. Perez, like many others in Fresno and around California, was 
deeply concerned when he learned the news about the abduction of an 8-
year-old girl from the front yard of a home in central Fresno on 
October 4.
  The next morning, when Mr. Perez noticed a truck outside of his home 
that matched the description of a vehicle of interest reported in the 
news, he decided that time was of the essence and he had to take 
action.
  Without hesitation, Mr. Perez jumped into his truck and pursued the 
suspicious vehicle. At one point during the pursuit, he noticed a young 
girl in the passenger seat, which strengthened his resolve to track 
down the vehicle. After seeing her, he said he had only one thought in 
his mind, ``I've got to get that little girl out of there.''
  He bravely pursued the suspect with selfless disregard for his 
personal safety until he successfully cut off the vehicle, forcing the 
suspect to stop.
  Sensing that he was cornered by Mr. Perez, the suspect pushed the 
young victim out of the car and sped off. Mr. Perez immediately tended 
to the young victim and called 911 so that law enforcement officials 
could continue to pursue the kidnapper. When the young girl told Mr. 
Perez that she was scared, he assured her that she was out of harm's 
way.
  As a result of Mr. Perez's heroic actions and the speedy response by 
hundreds of law enforcement officers from multiple jurisdictions, the 
suspected kidnapper was apprehended. Most importantly, the young girl 
has been reunited with her mother and her family.
  I am thankful for Mr. Perez's altruism and courage. His selfless 
actions that led to the rescue of this little girl represent the best 
ideals of being a good neighbor, a Good Samaritan and a responsible 
member of a community.
  We shall always be grateful for his heroic deeds on the morning of 
October 5, 2010.

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