U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

For Immediate Release

257 East 200 South, Suite 1200
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

Contact:
SA Robert Wright
FBI - Salt Lake City
(801) 579-4735
robert.wright2@ic.fbi.gov

April 21 , 2005

MINIDOKA COUNTY DETECTIVE AWARDED THE FBI SHIELD OF BRAVERY AND FBI STAR

Timothy J. Fuhrman, Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Salt Lake Field Office, and Kevin Halverson, Sheriff, Minidoka County, Idaho, today announced the awarding of the FBI Shield of Bravery and the FBI Star to Minidoka County Sheriff = s Office Detective Lieutenant Randy White.

On September 19, 2003, White was investigating the armed robbery of a bank in Paul, Idaho, with the Twin Falls Resident Agency of the FBI. Detective White tracked a suspect to Jackpot, Nevada, on September 23 rd, and rallied officers to make an arrest at a casino motel. The suspect, John B. Kurkowski, came out of the room shooting, hitting Detective White three times. Despite his grievous wounds, Detective White wrestled with the subject and helped to take him into custody, preventing his escape and injury to others.

Kurkowski has been convicted of shooting Detective Lieutenant White in Nevada, and of bank robbery and firearms charges in Idaho. He is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence.

In recognition of his courage and commitment to law enforcement, the FBI Shield of Bravery and the FBI Star will be presented to Detective Lieutenant White by SAC Fuhrman at 1:00 p.m. on April 22, 2005, at the District Courtroom in the Minidoka County Courthouse, Rupert, Idaho.