An 18-year-old man has been arrested for fatally shooting a Philadelphia police officer in the head – before attempting to steal his gun on Saturday night.
Miles Pfeffer, 18, is accused of shooting Temple University police officer Chris Fitzgerald, 31, multiple times before he ransacked his pockets and attempted to steal his gun, according to Philadelphia prosecutors.
Around 7 a.m. on Feb. 19 — less than 12 hours after the shooting — Pepper was placed in Fitzgerald’s handcuffs as part of a tradition honoring fallen police officers, according to US Marshalls.
Pfeffer was arrested at his family’s property in Buckingham Township, Bucks County — an affluent rural area north of Philadelphia.
The prosecutor’s office alleges that Pfeffer was then involved in an armed carjacking after he shot Fitzgerald, who was a father of four and joined the Temple University Police Department in 2021.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that the charges against Pfeffer include murder, the murder of a police officer, robbery, theft of an automobile and possession of a criminal instrument
Chris Fitzgerald is the son of Joel Fitzgerald, who served as Allenstown Police Chief for two years beginning in 2013. He was father of four children
Miles Pfeffer, 18, was arrested on Sunday after being accused of fatally shooting Temple University officer Chris Fitzgerald, 31, in the head
Fitzgerald is the son of Joel Fitzgerald, who was Allenstown Police Chief for two years starting in 2013, after which he left Philadelphia to join the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas.
The shooting happened Saturday night at the intersection of North 17th St. and West Montgomery Avenue.
According to police, Fitzgerald was heard over the radio at around 7:12 p.m., saying he was following suspects on foot. When Temple University police responded, they found the slain officer with multiple shots to the torso and head.
He was pronounced dead at 7:27 p.m. and police found five 9mm casings at the scene.
Police say Pfeffer, who has a criminal record in Bucks County, was involved in the carjacking of an Infiniti Q60 about a block away.
On Sunday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that Pfeffer faces charges including murder, murder of a police officer, robbery, stealing an automobile and possession of a criminal instrument.
Pepper was taken to Philadelphia Police Headquarters by a procession of police vehicles wearing Fitzgerald’s handcuffs.
“It’s a tradition we do every time there’s a fallen officer. We felt it was important to commemorate Officer Fitzgerald by putting the suspect back in his handcuffs,” Deputy US Marshal Robert Clark said at the time of the arrest.
Pepper is pictured during his arrest on Sunday morning – less than 12 hours after he was accused of shooting Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald (center) joined the Temp University Police Department in 2001
The Temple University Police Association tweeted Sunday morning that Pfeffer was arrested with Fitzgerald’s handcuffs
The shooting happened Saturday night at the intersection of North 17th St. and West Montgomery Avenue
Various photos of Pfeffer, uploaded to his Instagram account in recent months, show him posing with cash, guns and motorcycles. In one photo, he poses on a motocross bike and has a pistol on display, which he tucked into his pants.
In another photo, he appears to be posing with a bill covering his face and again with a pistol in his waistband.
The photo, uploaded just 11 weeks ago, is ironically captioned: “Work smart not hard, make stupid decisions with stupid consequences.”
Philadelphia Gov. Josh Shapiro tweeted Saturday night, “Lori and I are devastated for the family of the Temple University police officer who was killed on duty tonight and is valiantly serving his community.”
A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for Fitzgerald’s family. As of Sunday afternoon, it had raised almost $22,000.
“Officer Fitzgerald was a loving husband, father, friend and officer whose dedication to his family and community was unmatched,” wrote Rossman Shaffer, secretary of the Temple University Police Association.
“Officer Fitzgerald loved being a police officer and will always be remembered for his fearlessness in fighting crime and his compassion for his community.”
At noon Sunday, Temple Public Safety Vice President Jennifer Griffin sent an email to staff and students confirming the arrest and Fitzgerald’s death.
“This morning, an 18-year-old person of interest was arrested in connection with the tragic murder of a Temple University police officer last night,” she wrote, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“We can now report that Officer Christopher David Fitzgerald, hired on October 4, 2021, was shot dead on duty and later pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital.”