A memorial to Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was killed during the operation made famous by the book and movie “Lone Survivor,” was smashed to pieces.
Murphy was killed in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings in 2005 at the age of 29.
“Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates,” his Medal of Honor citation reads.
His granite stone memorial at Lake Ronkonkom, in New York, a place where Murphy had worked as a lifeguard, was found shattered by the Suffolk County Police on Thursday.
Fellow Navy SEAL and “Lone Survivor” of the operation, Marcus Luttrell, publically stated he will match the reward offered by Crime Stoppers to catch the culprit.
Crime Stoppers is offering $2,500 for information leading to an arrest.
“Only a coward would do this,” Luttrell wrote in a post on his Facebook page, which was commented more than 2,000 times.
“The Fourth Precinct is assigned to the case,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said in a statement Thursday night. “We encourage anyone who may have information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.”
The Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park in Lake Ronkonkoma was dedicated and opened to the public in 2007.
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