In the winter of 1991, the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, was shaken by the loss of one of its own. Richard John Burchick, a 39-year-old male patrolman with the Erie Police Department, died on February 6, 1991. His death was the result of a gunshot wound he sustained a day earlier while in the line of duty. With four years of service on the force, Burchick was known for his dedication to helping people, a desire that led him to leave a city planning office job to join the police force.
He was a husband and a father to three daughters.
The fatal encounter occurred on Tuesday, February 5, 1991, at the intersection of East 21st Street and East Avenue. Burchick was engaged in a foot pursuit of a suspect connected to a drive-by shooting when he was shot. The person responsible was identified as 17-year-old Michael Bibbs. As Burchick grabbed at him, Bibbs turned and fired a. 38-caliber handgun, striking the officer in the face.
Following the shooting, an intensive search for the suspect ensued. Bibbs was later discovered hiding in a nearby parked car and was taken into custody. In addition to Bibbs, four other individuals who were in the vehicle with him were also apprehended. Two firearms were recovered from their car. Bibbs, who was just days shy of his 18th birthday, was charged as an adult with criminal homicide. He was subsequently convicted of third-degree murder for the death of Patrolman Burchick.
