The U.S. Marshals Service has identified Miles Pfeffer, 18, as the culprit in the slaying of Temple University Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 18, 2023.
We will always be grateful to Officer Fitzgerald for giving his life to safeguard the Temple community. The Temple University Police Association stated that he “served the Temple community and the residents of Philadelphia heroically.”
According to a tweet from the United States Marshals Service Philadelphia office, Pfeffer was apprehended on February 19, 2023, in Bucks County about Fitzgerald’s passing.
This morning, investigators from the USMS Eastern PA Fugitive Task Force, Bucks County Central SWAT, PPD Homicide, and Buckingham Police arrested Miles Pfeffer, 18, in Bucks county. Pfeffer was wanted for murder in relation to the shooting death of a Temple Univ Police Officer. pic.twitter.com/gzd8c9Etns
— U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia (@USMS_Philly) February 19, 2023
Miles K. Pfeffer is accused of 24 charges, including criminal homicide, according to Fox29 journalist Steve Keeley. The Philadelphia district attorney told CBS News that Pfeffer “will be charged with murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, carjacking, firearm charges, possession of an instrument of crime, and associated offenses” and would not be qualified for bond release.
Heavy has contacted the Philadelphia district attorney’s office for more information.
24 Charges topped by Murder & Criminal Homicide of a Law Enforcement Officer against Miles K. Pfeffer, of Buckingham, Bucks County, who just turned 18 last month. 1/3 @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/87R6ULwrAL
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) February 19, 2023
What you need to know is as follows:
1. Officer Christopher Fitzgerald was shot by Miles Pfeffer when Fitzgerald was attempting to apprehend a suspect in a robbery.
In a statement on the school’s website, Temple University President Jason Wingard said he was “heartbroken to inform you that Temple University has lost a first responder and hero to senseless gun violence.”
A Temple police officer was wounded this evening while attempting to detain a robbery suspect near 1700 West Montgomery Avenue, according to Wingard. Later, a physician at Temple University Hospital declared the cop dead.
Philadelphia Police radio transmissions in the immediate moments following the fatal shooting of a Temple University Police Officer. (Please be advised – this is difficult to listen to) @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/c3Gk6EF1D0
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) February 19, 2023
“This catastrophe can’t possibly be explained in words. It rips at our sense of belonging and security. All of us mourn this tragic loss,” remarked Wingard. “The shooting suspect has left the Temple neighborhood. The Philadelphia Police Department and the Temple University Police Department are still gathering information about the incident.
Remembering and honoring our forever hero, Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald.
Officer Fitzgerald gave his life protecting the temple community and we are forever indebted to him. He valiantly served the temple community and the people of Philadelphia
EOW: 02/18/23 pic.twitter.com/5oRoxwxZPF
— Temple University Police Association (@officialTUPA) February 19, 2023
In a press conference, Wingard claimed to have met with the dead officer’s wife, family, and other law enforcement personnel.
“We are appalled & heartbroken at the murder of a Temple police officer who was slain protecting others,” wrote district attorney Larry Krasner in a tweet. The Philly DAO will provide the officer’s family, friends, and coworkers with any assistance we can muster. The PPD and we are already working together to prosecute the guilty people.
2. Miles Pfeffer Posts Pictures of Money, Dirt Motorcycles, and a Basketball Hoop on His Social Media Account
Pfeffer’s Instagram page is private, and his profile image features him clutching a large fish.
Before it was made private, Heavy evaluated the page. Cash, dirt bikes, and a basketball hoop may be seen in social media images on the page. Pfeffer is seen riding a dirt bike in one embodiment.
One image depicts “what looked to be a Ruger semiautomatic pistol tucked into his waistband,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Eleven webeforere the incident, a man was seen holding wads of cash in an Instagram photo thasaided, “work smart, not hard, make dumb mistakes face stupid consequences.”
3. According to reports, Miles Pfeffer was taken into custody at a $1.2 million Buckingham home and handcuffed there using the deceased officer’s handcuffs.
This morning, investigators from the USMS Eastern PA Fugitive Task Force, Bucks County Central SWAT, PPD Homicide, and Buckingham Police arrested Miles Pfeffer, 18, in Bucks county. Pfeffer was wanted for murder in relation to the shooting death of a Temple Univ Police Officer. pic.twitter.com/gzd8c9Etns
— U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia (@USMS_Philly) February 19, 2023
“This morning, investigators from the USMS Eastern PA Fugitive Task Force, Bucks County Central SWAT, PPD Homicide, and Buckingham Police captured Miles Pfeffer, 18, in Bucks county,” the U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia posted on Facebook. In connection with the shooting death of a Temple University police officer, Pfeffer was sought for murder.
The service published many images depicting the arrest.
We can confirm that a suspect has been taken into custody for the murder of one of our police officers, the Temple University Police Association tweeted. We have been informed that the arrest was performed using the handcuffs of our deceased cops.
The 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a @TempleUniv police officer has arrived at @PhillyPolice headquarters. A convoy of law enforcement officers, including the U.S. Marshals, escorted him to the PD with sirens blaring. pic.twitter.com/7PiAKoyEDs
— Madeleine Wright (@MWrightReports) February 19, 2023
With the caption, “Sources say Action News, 18-year-old suspect Miles Pfeffer was brought into custody early this morning at home on Quarry Road in Buckingham,” journalist Bryanna Gallagher posted images of Pfeffer being taken into jail on Facebook.
Redfin estimates that the Buckingham house is worth more than $1.2 million.
4. According to a local journalist, Miles Pfeffer’s mother picked him up after the shooting, and his brother was with him.
Miles Pfeffer is charged with the murder of @TempleUniv Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald, who is survived by his wife, four children and parents. This booking photo of Pfeffer is a year old — and is from an unrelated case, details unknown. @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/9Rg1PkFYs9
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) February 19, 2023
A source gave the declaration of probable cause to the journalist Steve Keeley, who tweeted that the entire incident had been “recorded on security cams.”
“Officer Fitzgerald reported being in a foot pursuit over the police radio. Officer Fitzgerald was found by responding police officers in the 1700 block of Montgomery Avenue with several gunshot wounds to the face and upper chest. “Officer Fitzgerald was declared deceased at 7:27 p.m. after being taken right away to Temple University Hospital,” the author said.
“Officer Fitzgerald was pursuing a man wearing only black clothing on foot westbound on Montgomery Ave. Just east of 18th Street, the officer and the individual are caught up, and a scuffle ensues, according to Keeley in the Twitter thread.
He claimed that Officer Fitzgerald continuously yelled at the man to “get on the ground.” Officer Fitzgerald is then shown being shot by the man with a handgun as he is knocked to the ground. The man then approaches Officer Fitzgerald and shoots several more times into his head and face.
According to Keeley, the man then reaches down and tries to seize the officer’s service weapon, but he cannot remove it from its holster. He also checks the pockets of the unresponsive officer. The individual then goes north on 18th Street while fleeing westward. The guy may be seen confronting a second victim in other footage taken on North 18th. Please give me the keys, or I’ll murder you, the male voice is heard threatening. The male steals the victim’s car and runs away down 18th Street. The vehicle was found around 29th Street and Ridge Avenue.
Officer Fitzgerald tried to stop them when the suspected killer’s brother was with him, and he is one of the witnesses who saw and heard what happened, law enforcement sources tell FOX29, according to Keeley. He hid in an alley, dove out when he heard gunfire, and saw the cop after Miles Pfeffer.
Further information was received, he said, “indicating that Miles Pfeffer was subsequently picked up by his mother JMP near 29th Street & Ridge Avenue and driven out to their home on Quarry Road in Buckingham.”
Jill Petrushka, Pfeffer’s mother, says on Facebook that she is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but there isn’t much else readily apparent on her page. Marc Pfeffer, the suspect’s father, also claims to be from Philadelphia on Facebook.
5. Chris Fitzgerald, a slain Temple police officer, was remembered as a father and an enthusiastic runner
Fitzgerald was “a dad, an ardent runner, and as characterized by a colleague cop, ‘everything you would want in a police officer,'” WPVI journalist Beccah Hendrickson wrote on Facebook.
“Yesterday night, he was on duty, patrolling by himself, when he discovered a carjacking in progress and attempted to stop it,” she continued. He was fatally shot. He is the first Temple police officer to pass away while performing his duties.
Thank you to everyone who has stopped by throughout the day at Chris’ memorial. We will be here throughout the night if you’d like to stop by.
RIP Police Officer Chris Fitzgerald pic.twitter.com/w2X4TvBIT0
— Temple University Police Association (@officialTUPA) February 19, 2023
In a tweet, the Temple University Police Association expressed gratitude to the public for visiting the officer’s memorial. Fitzgerald is the son of a former Fort Worth, Texas, police chief, according to WFAA-TV.
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