by Alex Lloyd Gross
Feb 25, 2023
Some time yesterday afternoon, the procession for Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald from the Temple University Police started from the Basilica and went to his final resting place in Montgomery County. The time that the procession would start was unknown. It would start when it started, it the best answer people could give.
As the time came, closer to 3:00 PM, motorcycle outriders started the journey up I-95. All entry and exit ramps northbound were closed. In certain spots with wide shoulders, various police units would pull along site, and wait until the procession passed. Very few were upset. The procession was made up of Temple University Staff and Directors as well as police from across the region.
Just how long the procession was could best be measured when it entered Woodhaven Road. It took up the entire road, which is over five miles long.
This video by Dawn Altstatt will show how long the procession is.
Many overpasses were filled with people waving flags and showing support. Southbound traffic on I-95 was not closed at all. Many people traveling south pulled over and watched the procession pass. Some stood at attention, others videotaped it.