Detective Carmen M. Figueroa

Detective Carmen M. Figueroa

New York City Police Department, New York

End of Watch Sunday, May 26, 2013

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Carmen M. Figueroa

Detective Carmen Figueroa died from illnesses she contracted after inhaling toxic materials as she participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Detective Figueroa had served with the New York City police Department for 20 years and was assigned to the Major Case Squad.


The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.

As the evacuation continued, the South Tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The North Tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-two law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site on 9/11.

A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.

The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon on 9/11.

The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.

On September 9th, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11th, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.

The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers.

On May 1st, 2011, members of the United States military conducted a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden.

Please click here to visit the memorials of all of the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.

Bio

  • Age 55
  • Tour 20 years
  • Badge Not available

Incident Details

  • Cause 9/11 related illness
  • Incident Date Tuesday, September 11, 2001
  • Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet
  • Offender 19 suicide attackers

9/11, terrorism

Most Recent Reflection

View all 18 Reflections

(I was writing before and may have erased my message or sent it unfinished.) I was saying how on 9/11 Carmen was scheduled to be at the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. She was on her way there, when she heard that a plane had crashed into one of the WTC Towers. She did not even hesitate. She drove directly to the site. She was there when the towers fell and could have easily been killed. Meanwhile, if she had just responded to the Brooklyn D.A.'s office, she would have been safe and secured and no one could have said anything to her, because that's where she was supposed to be that morning. She told me later, that when she heard on her police radio, that our Commanding Officer and other members of our squad were at the site, she wanted to be there right with them! Then she took off to the site forthwith. When I arrived at the site, Carmen was the second person I met by the plaza. We hung out together for the rest of the day, along with our MCS guys and other Police Officers and Detectives who came running to help. I miss talking with you Carmen. You know I would work with you any time. You were a great person and a great professional. You would always make me laugh, usually at myself. Until we meet again my friend, at our Final Command. Semper Fidelis!

Retired Detective, Anthony Alicea
Worked with Carmen Figueroa in the NYCPD Major Case Squad.

June 28, 2022

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