Charles A. Fry

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Felonious

End of Watch February 21, 1928

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 55 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Policeman Charles Fry died of wounds suffered when he was shot New Year’s night in a gun battle with three robbers in a grocery store on Passyunk Avenue, near Wharton Street. He and his partner were attracted to the sound of breaking glass when the robbers inside the store and the two policemen noticed each other at the same time. All fired several shots as the three escaped in an automobile. Policeman Fry died in a hospital the next day. Policeman Fry had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for less than a year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-00DC4A21
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Policeman Fry gave the Philadelphia Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Fry.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 21, 1928

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender At large

Policeman Charles A. Fry is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

162

of 378 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious