Detective Miguel Soto, who was shot while serving a warrant on a domestic-violence suspect Friday, was awarded the NYPD Medal of Valor in 2016 for chasing down and shooting an armed man in Brooklyn.
Miguel Soto, 32, and his partners were addressing quality-of-life conditions at a playground on Nov. 2, 2013, when he observed two men running on a nearby sidewalk, according to a Medal Day citation from the 79th Precinct.
The two men were being chased by a third person who was brandishing a firearm. Soto yelled “Gun!” and began chasing the gunman.
During the foot pursuit, Soto saw the man open fire at the two other men – before the gunman turned and pointed his weapon at the officer.
“Police Officer Soto maintained firearms control, ensured there were no bystanders nearby and fired his service weapon,” according to the citation.
The gunman was hit twice and was arrested.
On Friday, a man who identified himself as Soto’s relative said the officer was “doing fine.”
“He’s always trying to do his job — and he’s always trying to do the right thing,” said the man, who did not provide his name when reached by The Post.
Soto is married to another cop, sources said.
The head of the Detectives’ Endowment Association said Soto and his partners on the Brooklyn North Warrant Squad “were tracking this ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ type team since June.”
“This was a dangerous guy armed with a .45 automatic who did not want to be caught, so he didn’t hesitate to fire at our detectives,” union chief Michael Palladino said in a statement.
“They are all extremely lucky to be alive especially Detective Soto whose leg wound missed being fatal by millimeters.”
Additional reporting by Joe Marino