Tribute to Officer Skerski

Tribute to Officer Skerski by artist Peter Pagast is located on the exterior of the Bridesburg Recreation Center in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On May 8, 2006 Philadelphia Police Officer Gary Skerski, age 46, was shot and killed while responding to an armed robbery call at a café near the intersection of Arrott and Adams Avenues. A patron in the café had called 911 to report the robbery. Officer Skerski, who was working an overtime detail for the department, responded to the scene. As he approached the door he was confronted by the suspect, who was exiting the café. The suspect immediately opened fire, striking Officer Skerski in the neck, and fleeing on foot. Officer Skerski was transported to Temple University Hospital where he died of his wounds just before midnight.

The suspect was apprehended eleven days later following a shootout with Philadelphia Police in which the suspect was shot twice. He plead guilty to Officer Skerski’s murder in October 2007 and was sentenced to life in prison. Officer Skerski had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 16 years at the time of his death and was assigned to the 15th district.