DENVER (KDVR) — A Temple University police officer who was shot and killed near campus Saturday night was identified as the son of RTD Chief of Police Joel Fitzgerald Sr.
Temple said in a statement that an alleged robbery took place at a nearby convenience store and the officer was pronounced dead at the university hospital. This was the first deadly shooting of an on-duty police officer in Philadelphia since 2020, according to the Inquirer.
RTD confirmed that the Temple University officer was identified as Christopher Fitzgerald and is the son of Chief Joel Fitzgerald Sr.
RTD released the following statement on Christopher’s passing:
“RTD is deeply saddened to learn about the tragic and unimaginable loss of Chief Fitzgerald’s son Christopher, a police officer, who was killed in the line of duty. We send our deepest condolences to the entire Fitzgerald family and all those mourning Christopher. ”
Temple University officials said Christopher had been on the university police force since October 2021.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro tweeted that he and first lady Lori were “devastated for the family of the Temple University police officer who was killed in the line of duty tonight, bravely serving his community.”
Joel Fitzgerald Sr. was hired as the RTD’s chief in 2022. He started his career in 1992 at the Philadelphia Police Department where he served in various ranks over 17 years.
This is a developing story and FOX31 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.