PHILADELPHIA- Thousands poured into the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Center City Philadelphia on Friday to pay final respects to a fallen hero in Temple officer Christopher Fitzgerald. On February 18, Fitzgerald was shot and killed trying to intervene in a carjacking on campus. The alleged shooter is now in custody and facing murder charges. Fitzgerald left behind a wife, four children, parents, along with countless friends and colleagues he made along the way.

The funeral procession on Friday arrived with the casket around 7am and the funeral started around 11:30 am. It lasted about an hour and a half, with several speakers attending such as Fitzgerald’s brother Joel, his uncle and pastor Juan Marrero, Temple’s vice president of public safety Jennifer Griffin, State Rep. Amen Brown Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. 

The surrounding area was an overflowing blue with cops from around the country attending, ranging from local areas such as Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, Hatfield, Plymouth, and Montgomery Township, to far and wide departments such as Ocean City N.J., Texas, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Florida. Inside, the church was bursting with cops, citizens, family, and city representatives. Even with its maximum seating capacity being approximately 1,000, it was doubled with around 2,000 people, and so stuffed that people (like me) were even leaning against the front doors, becoming standing room only. 

For those outside the church on the fairly brisk day, the speeches and hymns during the funeral could be seen on a large television screen. 

Following the church proceedings and words of remembrance, the American flag draped casket was carried out of the church to the tune of bagpipe music and drums stirring in the air, with all the hundreds of officers saluting in a moment of reverential solidarity. Fitzgerald’s police car with mourning ribbons was parked outside. There were color and honor guard members present directly in front of the cathedral as hundreds looked on to pay their final respects to the beloved fallen officer.

Following the funeral proceedings, a 20 mile police motorcade made their way to the Forest Hills Cemetery for the officer’s final resting place. Here, a taps ceremony was performed along with a twenty-one gun salute.

“Chris was the very best of us,” Gov. Josh Shapiro told the crowd. “A strong, tough cop, with a good heart.” Fitzgerald’s mother and father were both in the Philadelphia police department, with his father now the Rapid Transit Police chief in Denver, Colorado. He was an avid supporter in the community of stopping the violence, taking part in a running program called Hood 2 Hood. Fitzgerald’s cousin Amen Brown said “We cannot let the loss of his life, or the many others before him due to senseless gun violence, be in vain”. 

Fitzgerald was posthumously promoted to Sergeant by Temple University and the Philadelphia Sheriff’s office. Temple university paid for the costs of the funeral as well as granted tuition to Fitzgerald’s children if they choose to go to Temple. “I can assure all of you that Chris isn’t just another headline, another statistic, just another death..I can assure all of you that for years upon years upon generations that Chris and his impact will obviously be remembered,” said Fitzgerald’s brother Joel, noting the massive crowds present and love shown to Fitzgerald and the family.