Suspect charged in Philly cop's slaying; 2nd suspect sought

Suspect charged in Philly cop's slaying; 2nd suspect sought

This undated photo released by Philadelphia Mayor's office shows police officer Steven Liczbinski. Veteran police officer, Steven Liczbinski, 40, was shot and killed with an assault weapon after a bank robbery in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia on Saturday May 3, 2008, authorities said. Liczbinski, a 12-year veteran who had recently been promoted to sergeant, was responding to the robbery of a bank inside a grocery store around 11:30 a.m., authorities said. The suspects fled, and opened fire after Liczbinski confronted them a short distance away.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- One suspect was charged and a second was being sought Sunday in the killing of a police officer who was shot with an assault rifle while responding to a bank robbery, police said.

Police Lt. Mel Williams declined to release the name of the suspect, who was charged with homicide. A second man, Eric Floyd, 33, is also wanted on a homicide charge, Williams said. A third suspect was fatally shot by police.

Sgt. Steven Liczbinski, a 12-year veteran, was responding to the robbery of a bank inside a grocery store around 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The suspects fled, and opened fire after Liczbinski confronted them a short distance away, authorities said.

About a dozen blue-shirted officers, some wearing white motorcycle helmets, lined both sides of a black hearse and saluted as the married father of three's body, draped with an American flag, was put inside at the hospital Saturday.

The police motorcycles, some bearing black- and blue-striped flags, then escorted the hearse away.

Mayor Michael Nutter on Saturday declared a 30-day period of mourning for Liczbinski and requested that all flags in the city be lowered to half-staff for that period.

Liczbinski's killing comes only a few days after Ramsey announced a major reorganization of the police department's command structure and the addition of nearly 250 officers on street patrols as part of a strategy to reduce crime.

The shooting came about six months after the last death of a Philadelphia officer in the line of duty. Officer Chuck Cassidy, 54, also a father of three, was killed during the botched robbery of a doughnut shop on Oct. 31.

Nearly two years ago, in May 2006, Officer Gary Skerski was fatally shot in the neck when a man robbing a bar fired a shotgun out the back door.