Remembering Special Agent Hicks

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Video Transcript

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Slate of text reads: On November 19, 2008, Pittsburgh FBI Special Agent Samuel Hicks was shot and killed while executing a federal search warrant. On May 2, 2009, Special Agent Hicks’ name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

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Special Agent Brandon Yourczek, classmate of Hicks at FBI Training Academy: With his experience as former law enforcement he was really the go-to guy if you had any questions. Just solid, very skilled at everything, encouraging, always had a positive attitude and the first to step forward and volunteer for anything. Just the kind of guy who was the role model for other people in the Academy who maybe didn’t have experience or come from different backgrounds.

Sam was the guy that you looked to see, how should I act in this situation.

(sound of loud machine etching names into memorial)

Agent Yourczek: The highest compliment you can pay to someone is to say that he’s the type of guy who I would have been happy with—to have with me as I was going through the door. That was the guy that Sam was. I mean, if anyone was going to go through the door, me I’d want him there.

Special Agent Phillip A. Kennedy, classmate of Hicks at FBI Training Academy: I was Sam’s classmate at New Agents Class 07-05. Sam was the strongest and smartest guy in our class. In defensive tactics he was one of the toughest people to be matched up against. You never wanted to see Sam on the floor. He would tear you apart.

On top of that he was one of the smartest guys in the class. I think he had a photographic memory. He remembered things that we learned months prior and no one else could remember.

Just a very experienced agent that worked in the Baltimore Police Department and always dreamed of being an FBI agent. So, it’s definitely a real loss to the Bureau and we’re always going to miss him.

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Agent Yourczek: Sam’s just one of those guys you just thought was—he just seemed invulnerable. He was like, just like a stone wall. Just an awesome guy.

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Agent Kennedy: When I got the e-mail I was shocked because I thought there’s no way that’s true. Sam was so experienced and so strong and just so determined. And I couldn’t picture, of anybody in my class, that happening to him. But it just really brought forth the fact that it’s a dangerous job and it can happen to anybody. And his sacrifice is always going to be remembered.