Philadelphia Mayor: You Don’t Back the Blue If You Don’t Back Gun Control

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (D) addressed the shooting death of Temple University police officer Christopher Fitzgerald and made clear his view that one cannot claim to back the blue if they do not back gun control.

Breitbart News reported that Fitzgerald was shot and killed while investigating a carjacking Saturday night. The alleged cop killer, 18-year-old Miles Pfeffer, was arrested Sunday morning without incident.

The Philadelphia Inquirer quoted Kenney reacting to the slaying, saying, “There’s too many [guns] and they’re too easy to get.”

Kenney added, “You can say you back the blue, but if you don’t back gun control and gun availability, you don’t back the blue. We owe it to them to do everything we can to stop this nonsense and stop this tragedy.”

Philly Mayor Jim Kenney at a press conference for slain police officer Chris Fitzgerald: "You can say you back the blue but if you don't back gun control and gun availability, you don't back the blue." pic.twitter.com/ygO06ZxxTO

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 21, 2023

Phillyburbs.com noted that Officer Fitzgerald chased Pfeffer on foot Saturday night, caught up with him, and had just ordered him to the ground when shots rang out.

Pfeffer allegedly started to run away after Fitzgerald was shot, but then turned back and allegedly tried to steal his service firearm.

The firearm used to kill Fitzgerald has not been recovered. Police are not sure how Pfeffer acquired it.

Remembering and honoring our forever hero, Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald.

Officer Fitzgerald gave his life protecting the temple community and we are forever indebted to him. He valiantly served the temple community and the people of Philadelphia

EOW: 02/18/23 pic.twitter.com/5oRoxwxZPF

— Temple University Police Association (@officialTUPA) February 19, 2023

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. AWR Hawkins holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.