Roll of Honor
Christopher David Fitzgerald
Incident
Sergeant Chris Fitzgerald was shot and killed while struggling with a suspect near 1700 W Montgomery Street in Philadelphia at about 7:30 pm.
Sergeant Fitzgerald was patrolling the area when he saw three masked individuals in dark clothing standing in an area where several robberies had recently occurred. As he exited his patrol car to speak to them, all three fled on foot. He pursued one of the subjects and began to struggle with him in the 1700 block of W Montgomery Street. The man produced a handgun and shot Sergeant Fitzgerald multiple times.
The subject then attempted to steal Sergeant Fitzgerald's duty weapon, belongings, and patrol car before carjacking a citizen several blocks away. Sergeant Fitzgerald was transported to Temple University Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
The man who shot him was arrested at his home in Bucks County early the next morning. In 2025, he was found guilty of murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, and gun crimes and sentenced to life without parole, plus decades for robbery.
Sergeant Fitzgerald had served with the Temple University Police Department for 16 months and previously served with the Philadelphia County Sheriff's Office for two and a half years. He also served with the Sugar Land Police Department (Texas) and as a Lehigh County Corrections Officer.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, four children, mother, father, sister, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-26BB4B00- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Fitzgerald gave the Temple University Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Fitzgerald.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Christopher David Fitzgerald 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Christopher David Fitzgerald's cause is highlighted.
How Christopher David Fitzgerald Compares
Offender Outcome
Life without parole
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher David Fitzgerald is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Christopher David Fitzgerald was killed by handgun.