'My cousin made a sacrifice': Uncle, cousin of fallen Temple officer call for unity, end to violence

Another Philadelphia family ripped apart by gun violence are hoping their tragic loss will help spark a change in their community.

Temple University Officer Christopher Fitzgerald was fatally shot in the line of duty over the weekend, an act of bravery his family says was expected of the beloved father of five.

"He put his own life on the line," Juan Marrero said of his cousin.

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Officer Fitzgerald's cousin and uncle, also named Juan, joined Good Day Tuesday morning to remember the fallen officer and the legacy he has left behind.

"Chris is the embodiment of a good community person," Fitzgerald's uncle, who is also a pastor, said. "He was loved by the people of the community as Chris."

Pastor Juan says Fitzgerald could often be found playing with youth at the community center, and working alongside former inmates. The officer was said to have a "unique way" of bridging the gap between police and the community.

"He would pour into them and challenge them to live a positive life since they came out of prison," he said.

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Fitzgerald brought that same encouragement into his own family, becoming the reason his cousin graduated from school.

"He came up to me and said, ‘You better not drop out, I’m gonna beat your butt baby cuz,'" his cousin said. "As soon as I graduated, he was first in line."

Pastor Juan said Fitzgerald died doing what he loved, taking action to end violence in the city that he loved - a goal of his nephew.

"Unity between the black and brown community and police. Can we put our ideologies aside, and focus on how to bring solutions to end violence and love one another," his uncle said.

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Now as Officer Fitzgerald's family continues to mourn the loss of a family and community pillar, they hope his untimely passing will bring about the change he dreamed of.

"Jesus made a sacrifice; Martin Luther King made a sacrifice; Malcolm X made a sacrifice; and now my cousin Chris made a sacrifice," Fitzgerald's cousin said.

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