On May 3, 2008, a tragic series of events unfolded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, leading to the death of 39-year-old male, Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, a 12-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department. The incident began around 11:30 a.m. when three men, disguised in Muslim women's clothing, robbed a Bank of America branch located inside a Port Richmond grocery store.
Sergeant Liczbinski was on patrol when he spotted the suspects' getaway car and initiated a pursuit.
The chase ended at the intersection of Almond and Schiller Streets, where the suspects' vehicle stopped. As Sergeant Liczbinski exited his patrol car, one of the men, later identified as Howard Cain, opened fire with an SKS assault rifle, striking the officer multiple times. Despite being mortally wounded, Sergeant Liczbinski's last words, spoken to citizens who rushed to his aid, were, 'Tell my wife and my kids I love them.' He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspects fled the scene, but their crime spree was short-lived.
In the immediate aftermath, a massive manhunt ensued. Howard Cain, the gunman, was cornered by police later that day and was killed in a shootout. The other two suspects, Eric DeShawn Floyd and Levon T. Warner, were apprehended following an intense investigation. Floyd was arrested three days after the murder, and in a symbolic gesture, he was placed in Sergeant Liczbinski's own handcuffs.
Both Floyd and Warner were charged with first-degree murder, even though neither had pulled the trigger. Prosecutors argued that under the principle of conspiracy, they were just as culpable as Cain for the officer's death. During the trial, it was revealed that Floyd, the driver of the getaway car, had allegedly told Cain to 'bang him' when they couldn't shake Sergeant Liczbinski. Warner admitted to handing the assault rifle to Cain moments before the fatal shots were fired. In July 2010, a jury found both Eric DeShawn Floyd, then 35, and Levon T. Warner, then 41, guilty of first-degree murder. Although they faced the possibility of the death penalty, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on their sentences. Consequently, in August 2010, both men were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
