US Marshals in Philadelphia have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the murder of a Temple University police officer on Saturday night.
Miles Pfeffer, 18, was arrested on Sunday after he was accused of shooting Chris Fitzgerald, 31, multiple times, including in the head, before going through his pockets and trying to steal his gun, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
At around 7am – less than 12 hours after the shooting – he was placed in Fitzgerald’s handcuffs as part of a tradition to honor fallen police officers, according to the US Marshalls.
Pfeffer was arrested at his family home in Buckingham Township in Bucks County – an affluent suburb of Philadelphia.
The DA’s office said Pfeffer was then allegedly involved in an carjacking after the shooting of Fitzgerald, who was a father of four and joined Temple University police in 2021.
Miles Pfeffer, 18, was arrested on Sunday after he was accused of fatally shooting Temple University officer Chris Fitzgerald, 31, in the head
Chris Fitzgerald is the son of Joel Fitzgerald, who was the police chief in Allenstown for two years from 2013. He was a father of four children
Fitzgerald is the son of Joel Fitzgerald, who was the police chief in Allenstown for two years from 2013, after which he left Philadelphia to join the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas.
The shooting happened on Saturday evening at the intersection of North 17th St. and West Montgomery Avenue.
According to police Fitzgerald was heard over a radio saying that he as pursuing suspect on foot at around 7.12pm. When Temple University police responded they found the slain officer with multiple shots to the torso and head.
He was pronounced dead at 7.27pm and police found five 9mm casings at the scene.
Police say Pfeffer, who has a juvenile criminal record in Bucks County, was involved in the carjacking of an Infiniti Q60 about a block away.
There is also a memorial to the slain officer at the site on the shooting at the intersection of N. 17th Street and W. Montgomery Ave.
On Sunday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that Pfeffer will be charged with murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, carjacking, possession of an instrument of crime among other offenses.
Pfeffer was brought to Philadelphia Police headquarters by a procession of law enforcement vehicles, and wearing Fitzgerald’s handcuffs.
‘That’s a tradition that we do any time there is a fallen officer. We felt it was important to remember officer Fitzgerald by once again placing his cuffs on the suspect,’ Supervisory Deputy US Marshal, Robert Clark said at the time of the arrest.
Pfeffer is pictured during his arrest on Sunday morning – less than 12 hours after he is accused of shooting Fitzgerald
The shooting happened on Saturday evening at the intersection of North 17th St. and West Montgomery Avenue
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that Pfeffer will be charged with murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, carjacking, possession of an instrument of crime among other offenses
A photo posted to Pfeffer’s Instagram account in which he has on display pistol in his waist band
In another photo he appears to be posing with a fan of cash covering his face and again with a pistol tucked into his waist band. The photo, uploaded just 11 weeks ago, is ironically captioned: ‘Work smart not hard make stupid decisions face stupid consequences’
Various photos of Pfeffer uploaded to his Instagram account in recent months show him posing with cash, guns and motorcycles. In one photo he is posing on a motocross bike and has a pistol on display tucked into his pants.
In another photo he appears to be posing with a fan of cash covering his face and again with a pistol tucked into his waist band.
The photo, uploaded just 11 weeks ago, is ironically captioned: ‘Work smart not hard make stupid decisions face stupid consequences.’
Philadelphia Governor Josh Shapiro tweeted on Saturday night: ‘Lori and I are devastated for the family of the Temple University police officer who was killed in the line of duty tonight, bravely serving his community.’
