Trained to inspire.

Date of Death: July 26, 1952 as the direct result of adversarial action in the lobby of a New York City hotel.

Cause of Death: On July 26, 1952, Special Agent Joseph J. Brock of the FBI's New York Field Office was killed in the lobby of a New York City hotel during the apprehension of Gerhard Arthur Puff, one of the nation's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives." The FBI had received information that Puff would visit the hotel, and a surveillance was in place. When Puff appeared, he telephoned Room 904 before taking the elevator to the ninth floor. The agents decided to wait for Puff to return to the lobby before arresting him, and Special Agent Brock was positioned at the foot of a small stairway. In a few minutes, Puff returned to the first floor by the stairway where Special Agent Brock was stationed. Puff shot Special Agent Brock twice in the chest and took his gun. Then, with a gun in each hand, Puff dashed through the lobby, firing another shot at converging agents. Outside the hotel, Puff answered agents' orders to surrender with gunfire. Agents posted behind parked cars returned fire, striking Puff, who was taken to a hospital for treatment before being taken to the prison ward at Bellevue. On August 12, 1954, Puff was electrocuted at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, following his conviction for the agent's murder.

Burial Location:
St. Charles Cemetery, East Farmingdale (Long Island)
Section 9, Row FF, Grave 134

Recent Memorial Service:

On July 26, 2022, members of the Society’s John F. Good Long Island Chapter, along with retired Special Agents and active duty personnel from the FBI’s New York Office (NYO) and its Melville Resident Agency, held a memorial ceremony in honor of Special Agent Joseph J. Brock. The ceremony, held at the St. Charles Catholic Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY, was led by Chapter Chair Marty Finn. Former SA and current Catholic Eucharistic Minister Jim Murphy gave the Blessing and led the group in a prayer. Chapter Secretary Denis Collins gave a recap of the details involving the death of SA Brock, who was killed seventy years ago, on July 26, 1952, in the lobby of a New York City hotel during the apprehension of an FBI Top Ten fugitive. Supervisory Special Agent Tom Ryder placed an American Flag at SA Brock’s headstone, where he is buried with his wife. NYO Special Agent-in-Charge Nicholas Boshears also placed an FBI Fallen Agents Lapel Badge on SA Brock’s headstone.

Retired PFI SA Tim Latterner described how the 1952 Brock shooting incident unfolded and how lessons learned from that shooting enabled the FBI to train and equip their future Special Agents on how to defend themselves in a similar incident. SA Latterner found himself involved in the same circumstances in May 2001, at a hotel in midtown Manhattan, when an FBI Top Ten fugitive who was wanted for homicide and numerous other charges, confronted SA Latterner and other members of the Fugitive Task Force. Fortunately, SA Latterner’s excellent training and equipment enabled him to shoot the fugitive before he could kill SA Latterner and his fellow Task Force members.

John F. Good Long Island Chapter members and retired Special Agents and active duty personnel from the FBI's NYO and its Melville Resident Agency.