A post office in Northeast Philadelphia’s Bustleton neighborhood will soon be renamed in honor of one Temple University police sergeant who was killed in the line of duty last year.
Christopher Fitzgerald was killed on February 18, 2023, while responding to a robbery at 17th Street and Montgomery Avenue off campus. Miles Pfeffer, then 18 years oldscuffled with Fitzgerald before shooting him several times and trying to take Fitzgerald’s service weapon, police said. The teenager remains in custody awaiting trial was recently stabbed in prison, sources said.
Fitzgerald, a 31-year-old father of four, was an avid runner and a fan of the rapper Drake. He previously served as a police officer in Texas and was a corrections officer in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Before Temple, he worked for the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office for more than two years.
Fitzgerald was the first Temple police officer killed in the line of duty. At his funeral, officials announced his posthumous promotion to sergeant.
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat, tried to pass a bill to close the post office at 9925 Bustleton Ave. to be renamed Fitzgerald. The building is located just south of Red Lion Road and The Shops at Red Lion shopping center.
“Naming this post office in Sergeant Fitzgerald’s honor will ensure that his legacy of service and sacrifice continues for generations to come, and will serve as a lasting tribute to his profound impact on our community,” Boyle said in a statement.
“While nothing can ever undo this terrible tragedy, I hope that through these small but meaningful acts we are able to honor one of the most selfless members of our community who gave his life to protect our city and honor the family who he left behind. Boyle said in the House of Representatives in June.
The bill passed the House of Representatives and was placed on the Senate calendar in August before passing on November 19. On Monday, President Biden signed it into law.
The building will be formally known as the “Sergeant Christopher David Fitzgerald Post Office Building”.
