Police, Fire Chiefs Honor Those Involved in the Watertown Shootout on April 19

While Watertown residents showed their appreciation for the first responders at the June 27 celebration, Watertown’s police and fire chiefs also got their chance to honor some of their own – and a few from outside town.

Watertown Fire Chief Mario Orangio awarded the Medal of Honor to the two members of the fire department who rushed to save severely injured MBTA officer Dic Donohue after the firefight on Laurel Street.

They rushed to the scene during the chaos, with no bulletproof vest and not protection, Orangio said.

Patrick Menton and James Caruso each received the Charles J. Morrill Medal of Honor

Also on the scene that night were the crew of Engine 2, Orangio said. They too went into the scene despite the danger and tended to the injured first bombing suspect, despite what he had done, firing at Watertown Police officers.

“They did what the business called for,” Orangio said.

Lt. Arthur Geswell, Firefighter Douglas Wood and Firefighter Timothy Donovan each received the Medal of Merit.

Police Chief Edward Deveau brought up all the Watertown Police officers and dispatchers who worked the night of the shootout: Officer Joe Reynolds, Sgt. John MacLellan, Officer Miguel Colon, Sgt. Jeff Pugliese, Officer Tim Menton, Lt. James O’Connor, Officer Chris Zengo, Officer Michael Comick, Officer Jean Sarkissian, Officer John St. Onge, Dispatcher Phil D’Agostino and Dispatcher Brock Kennedy.

Deveau also handed out a number of plaques for those who responded to the shootout in East Watertown  to help Watertown’s officers on April 19. Each received a plaque with a Watertown Police hat and an inscription.

He gave one to Dic Donohue, the MBTA Police officer injured in the battle, as well as Donohue’s partner, Lucas Vitto. Another recipient was Massachusetts State Trooper Christopher Dumont, the member of an outside department to arrive on the scene on Laurel Street.

Other plaques went to the Cambridge, Boston, and MBTA police departments and the State Police for their assistance that night, Deveau said.

The members of police departments outside Watertown were:

Cambridge: Commissioner Robert Haas, Deputy Superintendent Joseph Wilson, Officer Peter Vellucci, Officer Matt Brown, Officer Michael Cherubino, Detective Daniel McNeill and Detective Kevin Donofrio.

Boston: Chief Daniel Linsky, Sgt. Detective Kevin Waggett, Officer Dennis Simmons, Officer Greg McCormick, Officer Jean Jean-Luis, Detective Kenneth Conley and Officer Jason Nunez.

MBTA: Chief Paul MacMillan, Deputy Chief Joseph O’Connor, Officer Richard Donohue and Officer Lucas Vitto.

State Police: Trooper Christopher Dumont.