GUILTY PA - Officer Gary Skerski, 46, shot to death, Philadelphia, 8 May 2006

Police officer Gary Skerski was shot and killed after responding to a brazen robbery at a neigborhood bar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania earlier this week. The suspect still hasn't been apprehended:

NBC10.com - Local News - Police Questioning Man In Skerski Case

"... Answering a call from inside (from a woman in the bathroom with a cell phone) that a robbery was in progress, Skerski, 46, and his partner arrived at the bar about 10 p.m. (Monday, May 8, 2006) and split up, police said.

As Skerski headed toward the rear entrance, a man came out and fired a shotgun blast, striking him in the neck.

EDITED BY DP DUE TO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. SEE LINK FOR REST OF ARTICLE.


To be eligible for the reward, tipsters must call in information to the Crime Commission tipline at (215) 546-TIPS and receive a code number from the operator.

1-215-546-TIPS

Call the above number with any information you might have. Callers can remain anonymous.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/11/2006 | Editorial | A hero is brought down

Whether you live in the Northeast, South Philly, or any other part of this town or region, you should be saddened by the death of Philadelphia Police Officer Gary Skerski.

He died Monday night at the age of 46, when a took Skerski's life with the blast of a shotgun.

Skerski was the first city police officer in a decade to be shot and killed while responding to a call. Ironically, he was working an overtime shift for Operation Safer Streets, meant to address the violence that roils so many Philadelphia communities.

EDITED BY DP DUE TO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. SEE LINK FOR ALL OF ARTICLE

From America's Most Wanted:

amw.com | Unknown Gary Skerski Killer - Fugitive

... Surveillance cameras were rolling when a masked robber toting a semiautomatic pistol and sawed-off shotgun, entered Pat's Cafe in Frankford around 10:00 p.m. Cops say the video shows the gunman holding approximately 12 customers and an employee hostage -- demanding their jewelry and cash. Cops say the gunman forced several of the hostages to take money out of the bar's ATM and hand it over to him.

... Police believe he was wearing a dark-colored New York Yankees baseball cap and a jacket with light-colored sleeves and shoulders -- and a dark color from the chest down. The jacket appears to have red lettering or a logo across the chest.
According to authorities, the gunman may have gotten into a gray minivan or SUV after the robbery-murder -- and was probably alone. He is described as a light or medium-skinned African American male who is around 6 feet tall and between 25 and 30 years old.

News clip of today's funeral service:

Skerski Memorial

6abc.com: Massive Turnout for Officer Skerski's Funeral

... It was a painful scene as Gary Skerski's flag draped coffin was carried from St. Adalbert's Church. Thousands of officers from across the region and other parts of the country stood in salute. As for Skerski's family, his wife Anne, his children Robert and Nicole, we cannot bear as they do, the full impact of this tragedy but the City feels the loss as evidence by the many from all walks of life who showed up to pay their respects.

The funeral procession stretched 8 miles up I-95 as it made its way to Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem. Motorists on the other side of the highway stopped to watch; one woman waving a flag. Overpasses were crowded with police officers and others standing in silent tribute...

And the bartender who was there that night and did not want us to show her face tells Vernon Odom she'd have been killed if not for Skerski and his partner.

Thorough and very touching video. Seeing his beautiful, young children in this video makes me immensely sad.

WPVI Video Player

Philadelphia Daily News | 05/15/2006 | Skerski case: Tips, possible evidence

A special task force seeking the killer of murdered Philadelphia Police Officer Gary Skerski says it has received "150-plus" tips since his tragic killing.

"We're actively investigating every lead," said Sgt. William Britt, one of the task force's investigators. "We've gotten 150-plus tip calls since Tuesday," the day after Skerski's death...
Britt said some patrons saw the killer outside the bar some 30 minutes before he burst inside. Britt said police are looking for riders who may have gotten off a SEPTA bus at a stop across the street. They also would like to talk to anyone who drove by the area at the time of the crime.

Police are also looking for a person who was walking his or her mixed-terrier dog shortly before the shooting, Britt said.

JG - How tragic and sad, he was a hero. I hope they find the guy that did this. Thanks for the information JG

Philadelphia Daily News | 05/16/2006 | Hunt for yellow-eyed killer

Chief Inspector Joseph Fox, head of the detective bureau, said the man who killed hero cop Gary Skerski during a taproom holdup in the Lower Northeast May 8 has a distinctive yellow tint to his eyes.

Although Fox said he didn't know what might cause the distinctive color, a medical source said it could result from a damaged liver or pancreas, possibly from hepatitis.

Fox said police also are trying to determine whether the yellow-eyed suspect worked alone. He urged any possible cohorts to turn themselves in by calling police homicide detectives at 215-686-3334 or -3335...

Fox wouldn't say much else about the investigation, other than "we have made progress with forensic evidence recovered at the scene..."

Fox said investigators have used "facial-recognition software," a procedure in which a computer is used to digitally match the suspect's composite sketch to real-life mug shots.

That search turned up a plethora of photos that detectives are now combing through. "We are doing all we can," Fox said.

Patrons at Pat's Cafe, who were present when the ski-masked barged in brandishing a shotgun and handgun, believe Skerski saved their lives when he rushed to the bar in response to a 911 call from a customer's cell phone.

The robber was demanding money from patrons when Skerski and his partner, Officer William Alexander, interrupted his crime...

terminatrixator said:

JG - How tragic and sad, he was a hero.

Click to expand...

He really was. Thanks for reading this, terminatrixator. I wish I knew how to spread this information wider because someone somewhere knows this guy, even if they don't realize what he's done.

Philadelphia Daily News | 05/16/2006 | When even cops in the city aren't safe, nobody is

SHORTLY AFTER 10 p.m. last Monday, a masked gunman took aim at one of Philly's finest with one of the two high-powered weapons in his clutches.

He squeezed the trigger on his sawed-off shotgun and hit Officer Gary Skerski in the throat, ending the life of a beloved community-relations cop outside a bar in the Lower Northeast.

Swarms of police officers converged on the area in the minutes that followed. The killer eluded capture. But two men who were stopped by police because they resembled the suspect were promptly arrested for carrying firearms. A third man stopped by cops also had a gun with him.

The problem - if it wasn't evident before - became clear: Guns are everywhere in this city, and Skerski was just the latest person to die because of their prevalence...

To quantify the problem, police said yesterday that 135 guns had been confiscated throughout the city last week. Thirty-five of those weapons were found on people just walking around the city....

Ross said that 80 semiautomatic handguns, 28 revolvers, 15 shotguns and 12 rifles had been among the weapons pulled from the street last week...

Blackburn said narcotics officers had seized 565 guns from Jan. 1 through April 30, compared with 318 during the same period last year - a 56 percent increase...
Fox and many other cops said they were frustrated with the abundance of firearms and gun-wielding thugs on the streets.

"You can blow all the smoke you want about tougher gun laws and about restricted gun sales," Fox said. "But if [the courts] are going to let these 14-, 15- and 16-year-old kids walk around with a possession-of-a-gun [charge] and don't lock them up, then you are asking for this kind of violence to continue in the city..."

Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/16/2006 | Police are sparing nothing to find killer

... Police believe the gunman may have gotten away in a car driven by someone else, and someone must have provided the suspect with his weapons. Accomplices to a police slaying also face serious criminal charges, Fox said.
"It would definitely be in his or her best interest to contact us," he said.

Fox offered one possibly new tidbit about the gunman: The whites of his eyes may be yellow-tinged. Police also plan to refine their composite sketch of the suspect, thinning out his face, Fox said...

Witnesses said the robber told the bar patrons that he was a wanted man and that he would not go willingly.
Skerski was memorialized during services Friday at St. Adalbert's, the Port Richmond church where his family worships.

To Help

Those wishing to contribute to a fund to aid the family of slain Officer Gary Skerski may mail checks made out to the Skerski family. Checks may be sent to the 15th Police District, in care of Capt. Deborah Kelly, 2831 Levick St., Philadelphia 19149.

NBC10.com - Local News - Police Say Cop Killer May Have Yellow Tint To Eyes

... Police also said they think the suspect is a local man...

"We have made progress with the forensic that was recovered from the scenes. That applies to DNA. It applies to fingerprints. It applies to ballistics," Fox said...

Gary Skerski's Memorial Page. All are welcomed to leave a message:

Family, Friends, and All Others Remember . . .

Home Page - The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers . . .

Police have modified the sketch of the suspect in this killing. Here is the new sketch:

NBC10.com - Local News - Large Image: Cop Killing Suspect

6abc.com: New Display May Help in Skerski's Case (picture of mannequin dressed like suspect at this link - please take a look).

Philadelphia Police have shown off a new clue they hope will lead them to the killer of police officer Gary Skerski. Police offered up a mannequin Tuesday and dressed it with a replica of the jacket worn by officer Skerski's killer when he took over Pat's Cafe.

Investigators say the jacket displayed today at a news conference, is just like the one the armed robber was wearing when he shot officer Skerski outside Pat's Café.

It is all cotton with "State Property" written across the chest. (Primarily blue with red stripe and lettering; off-white across the shoulder area). It is from the popular clothing line associated with gangster rap giant Beanie Siegel. Police want you to look at its colors, and the State Property logo on the front. Plus, the Yankees cap on the mannequin's head. Witnesses say the shooter was wearing a Yankees cap.

There is plenty of State Property brand clothing out there but police say any clue can be helpful...

More images in this video:

WPVI Video Player

Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/17/2006 | A new clothing clue in killing of officer

... The body of the (suspect's) jacket is blue with off-white sleeves and shoulders. The logo stateproperty appears across the front in red. A red stripe separates the blue and off-white sections, and there is red and blue piping on the sleeves.

"From everything we've seen, this is a pretty distinct-looking jacket," Chief of Detectives Joseph Fox said during a news conference yesterday, gesturing to a copy of the garment. "Our hope is it's unique enough that someone will say, 'So and so has a jacket like that...' "

Yesterday, investigators said they believed the man was comfortable with firearms and may have served in the military.

"The way he handled [the guns] goes way beyond what you think of a normal holdup man," Fox said. "He looked like he was used to handling weapons."

I am outside of Philly and am following this closely! Did you see the news last night about the similarities to armed robberies in the area and all over NE Philly in the past months before this one??? and I see you posted about the jacket they have identified on the cop killer. What a piece of scum.
Thanks for bringing this to WS. I feel they will catch this one soon. With the reward over $125,000 someone will tunr him in!