PO Christopher Fitzgerald
Officer: Temple University Police Department, Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald
Date: 2/18/2023 Location: Philadelphia, PA FACTORS (1,2,9,12,14,15,19)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Miles K. Pfeffer
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Pfeffer was arrested in February 2022 for a November 2021 incident where he made terrorist threats of a bomb in his school. / Yes, Miles was a robbery suspect and illegally possessed a firearm.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/18
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At approximately 7 p.m. on February 18, 2023, Police Officer (PO) Fitzgerald responded to a 911 call of a robbery near Temple University campus. Upon arriving in the area, PO Fitzgerald observed three males, two of which were Miles Pfeffer and his younger brother, and started walking toward them.
Actions taken by subject toward police: The brothers split up and ran from PO Fitzgerald. Surveillance video shows PO Fitzgerald caught up to Miles and a struggle ensued where PO Fitzgerald could be heard yelling at Miles “to get on the ground.” Miles ignored PO Fitzgerald’s lawful commands, took out a concealed handgun and shot the officer in the head, sending him to the pavement. Miles then stood over PO Fitzgerald and shot him several more times in the head, before rummaging through the dying officer’s pockets. After unsuccessfully trying to take PO Fitzgerald’s duty weapon, Miles carjacked a nearby driver at gunpoint and drove the stolen car before ditching it and having his mother pick him up and take him home.
Reactions by the police: Within 12 hours, the US Marshalls and numerous law enforcement agencies tracked Miles down to his home 42 miles away and arrested him without incident.
How murdered? PO Fitzgerald was shot at close range while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? PO Fitzgerald bravely performed his duty, chased down a robbery suspect and attempted to get him into custody when that suspect managed to access a hidden firearm and shoot him in the head – demonstrating why officers are so fearful when a subject resists arrest, refuses to show their hands up, and instead put their hands into an area that could conceal a weapon.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? PO Fitzgerald never had a chance to use deadly force.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Miles Pfeffer was arrested the next morning and faces 24 criminal charges including, murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, carjacking, and firearms offenses.
Miscellaneous: “Pfeffer was on juvenile probation at the time of the murder.”
