Resolution 080531

..Title Honoring the Port Richmond Residents of Almond and Schiller Streets who comforted and assisted Philadelphia Police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski in his final moments on May 3, 2008. ..Body WHEREAS, The residents in the vicinity of Almond and Schiller Streets in the City of Philadelphia's Port Richmond section performed extraordinary and compassionate measures in a time of crisis and disaster on Saturday, May 3, 2008; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia Police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski of the 24th Police District was responding to call of a bank robbery at the Bank of America, located at the Shop Rite Supermarket on Aramingo and Castor Avenue; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Liczbinski spotted the reported getaway vehicle approximately four blocks from the robbery at the vicinity of Almond and Schiller Streets; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Liczbinski stopped the vehicle, a Jeep Liberty SUV, at the corner of Almond and Schiller Streets; and WHEREAS, Within seconds, Sgt. Liczbinski was shot in the line of duty by the occupants of the vehicle with a high powered assault rifle; and WHEREAS, Immediately, residents of Almond and Schiller Streets rushed to the police officer's aide, cradling his head and applying towels and t-shirts to his bullet wounds to stifle the bleeding; and WHEREAS, Residents Nancy Braun, Thomas and Erik Krajewski, and Kevin Petaccio surrounded and held Sgt. Liczbinski in his final moments, when he asked them to tell his wife that he loves her and will miss her; and WHEREAS, Other neighbors grabbed Sgt. Liczbinski's police radio and called for help, shouting an officer is shot and needs an ambulance, while other residents chased the getaway car as it sped off, its occupants threatening to shoot anyone in their way; and WHEREAS, As Philadelphia Police came onto the scene, neighbors helped carry the fatally wounded officer into the back of a patrol car, where he was taken to Temple University Hospital and succumbed to his injuries, dying in the line of duty, protecting and serving the people of the City of Philadelphia; now therefore THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Praises the actions of the residents of Port Richmond during this horrific event that unfolded in their community and took the lives of one of Philly's finest, Police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, who gave the ultimate sacrifice. ..End